Sephiroth's Frail Heart
by Andrew2013
Summary: Book one in the Final Fantasy MLP Leading to War series. Sephiroth has landed in Equestria. When he is found by Applejack he remembers only his name. However with moments of meeting them his memories start to come back slowly and soon he remembers who he is. Applejack must help him see that he is a new pony. But with a kingdom ready to wage war that may be difficult. Also a horror.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The One Winged Pegasus

Applejack wakes up after her long night of rest shaking her orange coat and blonde hair and tail. Just the other day she had to fix everything on the farm because a certain Pinkie Pie decided to throw a party. Applejack grabs her hat off the desk in her room and walks outside. She looks around at her farmland but something feels different. She takes another look around and sees that there's a giant hole in the ceiling of the barn.

"What in tarnation!?" She shouts in her southern accent angered by this. She remembers vividly that that wasn't there yesterday when she cleaned up. She runs over to the barn house and the doors are open. "Whoever did this is gonna wish they never set foot in Sweet Apple Acres." She said stomping her hoof down. One of the doors wasn't as open as the other one and she decided to make her presence known.

She slammed her hoof against the door which sent the door flying open slamming into the wall. "Alright who's in here!?" Applejack looked through everything. She tore through hay bales and fallen wood looking for the barn crasher. "If y'all don't come out right now I'm gonna be purrty mad!"

Applejack walked a little further in to where the hole in the roof had collapsed in. Suddenly she heard moaning coming from that direction. This put Applejack on edge because now she knew someone was in here. She came around a corner and saw a white black hoof. Applejack ran up to the exposed hoof expecting to see a normal pony and shouted "Now I got—whoa!" She suddenly took a step back because lying in the busted up hay bail was a rather tall pony wearing a black pants, a black coat black gloves, two silver shoulder guards. His tail was silver along with his long hair. Next to him standing up through the ground was a nine foot long sword. Applejack couldn't believe that she had missed that. On his right side was a black wing but he didn't have a second wing.

"Hey pardner you alright?" Applejack touched the wing and it vanished with a blast of black flame. "Mister!" Applejack screamed thinking that the pony had just been incinerated. She looked back when the fog cleared to see that his wing had just disappeared and there seemed to be no injury to his body. Applejack decided that it must have been her imagination, but the wing looked so real and it felt real. She started to wonder how a wing could just vanish like that without any logical explanation. "Gosh darn it!"

"Sis?" A small and groggy southern voice came from the barn entrance. Applejack turned to see that it was her little sister Apple Bloom. "Why you gotta be so loud? It's too early in the mornin'." Apple Bloom came to Applejack's side.

"Sorry Apple Bloom, but there was a giant hole in the ceiling and I got really angry." Applejack patted her sister's head like she were a dog. "It's okay now though, I found him."

"That's great sis!" Apple Bloom faced toward where Applejack pointed and immediately shrieked to high heaven. "A dead body? Sis you didn't have to go that far to make your point across! What if someone finds out you'll be hated! Those dumb debt idiots will pile more on us." Apple Bloom was greatly over-dramatizing the situation.

"Apple Bloom he's not dead I don't think." Applejack really didn't know how to say but she found him like this so that should suffice. "Listen Bloom I found the varmint like this and I think he may be hurt badly we should see if we could do anything for him."

Apple Bloom didn't really understand but she wanted to help him. It may lead her to her cutie mark that she and her crusader friends have been trying to find for months. Apple Bloom put her head under one of his hooves and tried pulling him out. "He's heavy!" She tried pulling harder but the body wouldn't budge. "Um sis little help."

"Apple Bloom we'll probably need Big Mac to help us move him. He's probably the only one big enough to pick him up." Applejack grabbed her sister and brought her outside the barn and back into the house. "Alright you go wake Big Mac, I'll try and think of a way to explain this to him. He isn't going to be a happy pony about this. And neither is Cherrilee."

"Big Mac!" Applejack put her front hooves over her ears. Apple Bloom continued shouting, "Cherrilee! Wake up we have something we need help with! Get your lazy butts out of that bed before I get a bucket of cold water!"

"Way to go Bloom." Applejack said sarcastically as she heard a loud thud come from one of the rooms in the house. She heard another softer thud come next. "They aren't gonna be happy."

Big Mac, a red coated stallion with a blonde mane and tail, and Cherrilee, a purple pony with a very light purple mane and tail came out of a room side-by-side. Big Mac did not like being woken up from bed at all especially when he and his girl were together. "Applejack, you better have a good reason for waken us up like ya did." His accent was a little more southern than his sisters'.

"Now Maccy," (Okay I'm laughing just writing this) Cherrilee said in a normalish voice, that really didn't match the family, nudging Macintosh to the left a bit, "you can't be mean to your sisters they have something important to ask you it seems."

"I'm sorry Cherry Pie, please forgive me." Applejack and Apple Bloom were looking at each other with raised eye brows as Macintosh looked into Cherrilee's eyes with hope and worry.

"I'll always forgive you my dear Macintosh. Let's hear what they have to say and then we can talk about that later okay." What Cherrilee meant Apple Bloom and Applejack had no idea. I'm going to leave it to your imagination what they are talking about because this could mean so many things.

"I don't know what y'all are talking about but we need some help moving something or well somepony." Applejack said somewhat hesitant. She knew that her older brother would question her.

"What do ya mean by somepony?" Big Mac asked his anger starting to build.

"Big Mac it's not what'cha think okay." Applejack tried calming him down only it made him even more suspicious. "Big Mac there's someone lying in the barn almost dead possibly and your worried about something so stupid like that. The stallion needs help and you're the only one who can help. You're the strongest and someone has to bring him inside."

"Alright then let's see this pony or stallion of yours." Big Mac still wasn't happy with what he heard. A stallion in the barn with his little sister and he's unconscious. Macintosh was ready to teach this pony a lesson. "He better not be some secret love Applejack."

"Mac it ain't some love of mine you know very well I'd tell you if I had a boyfriend." Applejack spoke with honesty because it was what she needed to do right now be honest with Macintosh. "I woke up saw a giant hole in the barn's ceiling, went inside to teach the pony a lesson and found him lying on the floor. No doubt the work of those collectors from before, they just won't leave us alone."

They all got to the barn quickly. Macintosh went in first with Applejack following close behind. Macintosh saw exactly what Applejack saw when he came across the body that lay there on the hay still unmoving. Macintosh poked the body and the body just let the leg fall. "Applejack I don't know if he's even alive." Macintosh went over to the mouth of the fallen stallion and put his hoof up to it. He felt a small breeze coming from the stallion's mouth.

"Okay everypony he's alive but his breathing doesn't sound or feel good to me." Macintosh went over to one of the carts that they used for hauling apples across the farm and brought it over to the fallen stallion. "Alright Applejack you pick up one side and I'll get another. We have to get him inside." Macintosh looked up and saw the clouds seemed to be against them. "Hurry it might rain soon!"

The family started to pick the stallion up and place him in the wagon. He was heavy even for Macintosh but they weren't giving up on the pony not until they got him inside. Macintosh and Applejack each took ahold of the wagon and began to pull it to the house. The rain began to come down, and it came down hard. The dirt beneath them quickly became slippery mud. Cherrilee and Apple Bloom both ran to the house and got the door opened. Applejack and Macintosh were falling almost every step as they pulled the wagon within feet of the door to the house. They both stopped pulling and grabbed the stallion's front two hooves and placed them over their backs. They hauled him inside all wet from the rain.

When they got inside Apple Bloom shut the door and grabbed one of the hind legs to the stallion trying her best to help. They went to an empty bedroom and slowly pulled him onto the bed. They let him lie there and fetched him a blanket and towels for when he woke up. Macintosh went with Cherrilee to inform Granny Smith. Apple Bloom went to get some water, Wynona, Applejack's dog jumped onto the bed trying to help warm the stallion up.

Applejack felt horrible that she didn't do anything when she knew she should have. She felt like such an idiot. If this stallion died it would be her fault. "I'm awful sorry mister. If only I hadn't thought you were trouble maybe we could have gotten you in here faster." Applejack put her hoof on the stallion's cheek and as if by magic he grunted. "Mister?"

The stallion's eyes opened slightly and Applejack saw the faintest green or dark teal that she ever saw. He began to rise from the bed letting the blanket that was lay over him to fall to the floor. He breathed heavily before taking softer breaths. He looked over to Applejack and his eyes opened fully. "Who are you?" His voice was deep and slightly dark. He tried taking a step but fell immediately to the floor.

"What happened?" Macintosh came running in with Cherrilee. The stallion picked himself up and turned to face Mac. The stallion was a little taller than Macintosh but not by much. "I see he's awake. Apple Bloom did ya give him the water?"

"Nope I just got back from fetchin' it when I saw him fall to the floor. Here you go mister." Apple Bloom pushed the water into the stallion's hooves and he drank the entire thing in two seconds flat. "Boy he was thirsty."

"Sorry I didn't mean to disgust anyone." The stallion apologized to the little filly and gave back the glass. "I'm sorry did I cause any trouble for you people?"

"No not really." Applejack said smiling at the stallion now awake, "I thought you were a goner there for a second or two. My name's Applejack. That pony over there, he's my older brother Macintosh and his girlfriend Cherrilee, and the filly there is Apple Bloom. There's one more of us our granny, Granny Smith. So mister ya got a name?"

"My memory is foggy and the only thing I do remember is my name." The stallion looked around and everypony seemed to draw closer wanting to hear what the name of the stranger is. "My name…is…Sephiroth."

"Sephiroth?" Applejack said trying to see if it felt right to say, "Well that sure is a strange name, I don't think I've ever heard someone called Sephiroth before. Well welcome to our home Sephiroth. Our home is on a place called Sweet Apple Acres, a large farm area where my family and I work together to keep this place alive."

"Thank you Applejack," Sephiroth said closing his eyes, "I don't know if I should ask but how did I get here?"

"To be honest none of us know." Applejack said looking sullen as she felt he really wanted to know what had happened to him before he came here. "I found ya in our barn unconscious. At first I thought you were dead but then your wing burst into flames so I thought that you might have been alive."

"My wing?" Sephiroth had no idea what she meant. Suddenly his head felt like a sword had pierced through. He screamed loud holding onto his head as if for dear life.

"Sephiroth what's wrong?" Applejack tried to stop him by holding him back but that was a failure from the thought. Sephiroth fell to the floor right over Applejack and started to breathe heavily as his head began to calm down. Applejack lay under Sephiroth with her front hooves out wide. Macintosh saw this and was about to pummel Sephiroth if Applejack hadn't said, "It's okay Sephiroth everything's okay now."

"I remember," Sephiroth looked into Applejack's eyes, "I remember that I do have a wing." Sephiroth closed his eyes and his wing sprouted from his right side in a burst of flames. Sephiroth looked at his black wing and saw that it was large very large. Unknown to him his wing was greater than any pegasus in all Equestria even Princess Celestia. He looked up to see that the roof was now on fire. He immediately flapped his wing sending a gust at the fire extinguishing it.

After the fire was out he looked around the room and saw that everyone was either against a wall or hanging from another part of the ceiling. "Okay," Macintosh got up and walked over to him, "you cannot bring that wing out or return it unless you are outside this house Sephiroth understand?"

"Yes and I apologize for causing such trouble with your family. I shall leave." Sephiroth tucked his wing in and walked out of the Apple Acre family home looking at the sky he unleashed his wing and took flight. He flew only a short distance though.

"Sephiroth! Wait!" Applejack called out to him stopping him in his tracks or cloud streaks. He turned around and flew back to the house. He landed right in front of Applejack because she told him to wait, but he thought that meant go to her. "Just cause Macintosh said you couldn't have your wing in the house doesn't mean you have to leave." Applejack said smiling again. "You can stay here for as long as you want. We got plenty of room for you."

"I have already caused you and your family enough trouble are you sure you want me to stay in the house that I have practically already torched." Sephiroth felt like he had done too much damage to be let off so easily like Applejack was doing. He felt that he should be punished.

"It's okay Seph you ain't gotta get all sentiment about it." Applejack held out her hoof trying to offer her version of peace. Sephiroth looked at her hoof like it was a dangerous object. "Oh come on now it ain't gonna hurt cha' friend. Go on and place yer hoof there on mine."

Sephiroth lifted up one of his hooves and extended it making it connect with Applejack's hoof. Applejack shook his hand and that was the start of their friendship. Applejack smiled at Sephiroth with happiness. Sephiroth looked at her and felt a strange warmth come from the smile itself, and he decided that he wanted to give off that same warmth. So he smiled joyfully at Applejack who had then opened her eyes and saw the joy in his smile. She believed that she and Sephiroth would be great friends.

Sephiroth opened his eyes to see Applejack take her hoof away from his. He thought that she didn't want to give him her friendship and turned around feeling broken and shattered. "C'mon friend we gotta get cha somethin' to eat." Applejack said nudging back to looking at her. He watched as she trotted toward the house. She stopped and knew that Sephiroth wasn't following her. She turned to see him staring at her as if waiting to be ordered.

"Sephiroth come on." Sephiroth shook his head once quickly and walked over to Applejack who shook her head in irritation. Sephiroth gave a half smile thinking that it would help. As if by luck it made Applejack smile to. He felt relieved that he didn't turn her away. To him she was his only friend, or at least the only pony he could call a friend.

"Applejack is he with you?" Macintosh although no one would have believed it if someone said it, he was keeping a close eye on his sister and how she acted with this newcomer to their home. He saw Sephiroth come into the room. He wanted more than anything to tell Applejack to send him away, but he knew it would just cause an argument, and he was always on the losing end of those battles with Applejack.

"Sephiroth come over to the table," Applejack stayed next to Sephiroth as they entered the kitchen together. Sephiroth was led to the table by Applejack who then proceeded to get him a napkin and plate. "You're going to love our apple pie Seph."

Sephiroth didn't know what apple pie was but if Applejack said he was going to love it he might as well see what it was. Applejack brought over a slice of their family's famous apple pie and set it on the plate in front of Sephiroth. Sephiroth looked at it as if it were a foreign item from another world. Applejack looked at him and Sephiroth couldn't take the unhappy look that she had. He threw his face into the pie taking the whole thing in his mouth with some across his face. He chewed it with his eyes closed waiting for that horrible taste that he feared would come. It never did though and Sephiroth opened his eyes as he tasted the most amazing pie ever.

His eyes sparkled as he savored each chew since the entire thing was on his face or in his mouth. He gulped it down and breathed sweetly never feeling such an experience before. "Thank you Applejack that was indeed delicious." Sephiroth said smiling over to her. "To be honest I thought I wouldn't like it but seeing you look disappointed made me try it and I'm glad I did."

"Thank you Sephiroth. That's mighty thoughtful of ya. Like I was saying before though, you don't have to leave this home. You can stay here with us in our home until you remember where you're from and who you really are and all that." Applejack made Sephiroth give a light smile. Hearing her voice made Sephiroth happy because everything she said was honest and true.

"I thank you for the offer but I don't know if everyone would welcome me like you Applejack." Sephiroth completely forgot that Macintosh, Apple Bloom and Cherrilee were standing right behind him. He turned and saw them and quickly took a step back toward Applejack. "I'm sorry I had no idea you three were standing there."

"It's alright Sephiroth." Bloom came to his side hugging his front left hoof. "You can stay here for as long as you want to. We don't leave a pony in need that's how our family rolls." Sephiroth liked little Apple Bloom for her enthusiasm and how eager she was to have him in their family. "Please let him stay here Big Mac. He ain't got anywhere to go right now."

"Let me think about it for a little while. I still don't trust him that much." Sephiroth nodded his head in understanding as Macintosh left the room with Cherrilee. Sephiroth knew that was going to be his response. Sephiroth was a stranger who had unknown abilities that not even he knew of at the moment. How do you give someone the benefit of the doubt when they just blast a wing on their side with fire?

"It's alright Sephiroth he'll come around in a while. Till then how's about helping us with the chores around the farm?" Applejack asked him pushing Apple Bloom off his leg.

"I guess I could but I don't really remember much so I may not even know what you're talking about." Sephiroth hated the fact that he couldn't remember a thing. His head being as blank as it was made him even angrier. "I'll do my best is all I can promise."

"That's all we need you to do anyway so it's alright. Everyone is good at somethin' we just gotta find what you're good at." Apple Bloom said skipping or trotting next to Sephiroth who followed behind Applejack.

"I'll do whatever you two need me to do." Sephiroth walked out of the house and looked at the barn that the Apple Acre Family had said he was found in. Suddenly he saw the huge sword sticking out of the ground and his head bursted into pain. Applejack and Apple Bloom turned to see him screaming and holding onto his head. Applejack quickly ran to him but as fast as it had come it stooped and Sephiroth was taking deep breaths to calm his body down.

"Everything okay Sephiroth?" Applejack asked then quickly remembered that the last time this happened he remembered about his one wing. "Did you remember something?"

"Yes and I will ask this now," Sephiroth stood on his hind legs and his two front hooves inverted themselves as though they were human arms, "does your family need any cutting done by any chance?" He brought forth his wing which extended from his side higher on his back now.

"Yes but can you explain how you're standing like that?" Applejack asked in disbelief of what she was seeing. She had never seen any mare, stallion, filly or princess stand like that before. Sephiroth was definitely a unique character.

"Is my sword in the barn?" Sephiroth was asking some strange questions to Applejack, at least from her point of view. She nodded her head once and Sephiroth took off for the barn. He caused a large gust to blow behind him which almost sent Apple Bloom flying. Sephiroth glided over to the sword he knew as Masamune, a sword that only he was capable of using. He held his hoof toward the sword wondering how he was going to hold it and then it just magically appeared in his hoof. It acted like it was magnetized to his hoof. Sephiroth thought of his sword being put back in the ground and it flashed into a black light and extended from the ground where it had originally been.

Sephiroth realized that all he needed to do was think of Masamune in his hands and it would come to him. Sephiroth flew out of the barn, leaving Masamune in the barn, quickly causing the back of the barn to blast out. He stopped half way to Applejack and Bloom and turned to see the damage he had just done. It was completely by accident. Sephiroth simply doesn't know the extent of his powers right now.

Applejack shook her head in sighing as she came up to Sephiroth's side. He looked down to her somewhat pathetic looking, and it is hard for Sephiroth to look pathetic believe me. "Sephiroth how bout we don't use that wing of yours inside any of the farm houses okay?" Applejack was t=starting to get irritated by all the damage that Sephiroth was causing to her home.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to do that. I just…AGH!" Sephiroth head went ballistic again and he fell to the floor holding his head with his hooves. Applejack was starting to get use to these cries of pain but this one seemed slightly different to her. She noticed that it didn't stop as quickly as the other ones did. His pain was still coming on strong and there was nothing he could do about it.

Sephiroth!" Applejack got to his side and saw his eyes opened wide with constricted pupils. He was in serious pain. "Sephiroth calm down! Sephiroth only continued to scream out in pain as his eyes shut. Applejack was really starting to get worried when she noticed the sword in the barn glowing. "That sword." Applejack ran to the barn hoping that the sword would have the cure for her friend. She ran up to it and slammed her shoulder into it and a blast of light shot from it. The beam of light went straight for Sephiroth.

Sephiroth became engulfed in the light as he slowly began to stop screaming. His head was finally able to calm down after being soothed by the light's energy. Applejack ran back to Sephiroth and put her hoof on one of his and held it close to her. Sephiroth soon felt a warmth, a similar warmth that he felt when Applejack had smiled at him, but he didn't know what caused it all that he knew was that it helped calm his mind as the memories flooded in. He remembered everything about his powers, how far they could go and how destructive he could be if he wanted to. Sephiroth remembered how to fight with Masamune and how to use magic.

Sephiroth left the light at that moment. Applejack continued to hold onto his hoof even when his three others touched the ground. She was scared that something bad had happened and she wanted him to feel like he wasn't alone. Sephiroth opened his eyes to see his hoof in Applejack's hoof. He blinked once and remembered the warmth he felt inside the light where everything seemed to fade away. Yet that warm feeling stayed and helped him along the way of recovering his memories to fight.

"Sephiroth you alright now?" Applejack asked feeling great pain in her hoof and body. Whatever that light was Applejack felt like it had drained her of her strength. She could barely stand at the moment.

"I'm fine now. Thank you for being concerned I guess." Sephiroth saw the trembling in her legs and thought that maybe Applejack gave her strength to him, but he felt terrible from it. "Did you give me your energy Applejack?"

"Truth be told I don't know Sephiroth. I saw you were in pain and I wanted to help you. I guess your sword or that light decided to help me with that in their own way." Applejack fell to the ground after saying those words. Sephiroth quickly caught her in his hooves. He put her on his back and felt like he was to blame for her drained energy. If only these memories didn't hurt me as much, he thought, then Applejack wouldn't have been hurt the way she was. Damn it all!

"Sephiroth what happened to Applejack?" Apple Bloom was completely confused as to what just happened then. All she saw was light and then saw her sister fall to the ground. "Is she alright?"

"I don't know. She had her energy taken by force to help me. Curse my past and all the memories!" Sephiroth wanted all his memories to just go to hell. He may have just woken up in this world but he knew what he wanted to pay the debt that the Apple Acre Family did for him, even though it was small. That and Applejack saw him as a friend. He never remembered having a friend so he wasn't going to lose his first friend because of his own selfish memories that decided to come whenever they felt the need.

Macintosh was downstairs when he saw Sephiroth walk in with Applejack on his back. "What happened to my little sis? Sephiroth if you did something to her…"

"Get out of my way now." Sephiroth spoke cold and dark to him. "I need to get her to a bed and if you get in my way I'll toss you through a wall." Sephiroth didn't care that it was her brother he only cared about making sure that Applejack was okay. He wouldn't let anyone keep him from doing that. He owed her that much.

Macintosh couldn't believe how much Sephiroth had changed since he left him. He moved out of his way and watched Sephiroth take Applejack up to her room. He uncurled his wing and placed her on the bed. He turned around almost stepping on Bloom. "Sephiroth are you okay?" Apple Bloom was starting to worry about Sephiroth who was acting a little different than he was before the flash of light. Sure they only knew each other for about ten maybe twenty minutes but she didn't think Sephiroth wouldn't be so protective.

"I'm sorry Apple Bloom. Please tell Macintosh that I am also sorry for the way I treated him. I don't know what came over me." Sephiroth began to head back down the stairs when he heard something fall to the ground. He turned to see that Applejack had fallen out of bed. "Applejack!" He rushed over picking her back up with his hooves and wing and replacing her on the bed.

"Sephiroth," Applejack whispered from her sleep. Sephiroth leaned in hearing his name, "Please don't leave the house. I don't want you to get yourself hurt."

Sephiroth couldn't believe the words that he heard come from the weak pony. She had just been sapped of her energy to help him when he didn't want it. He would have rather had have the pain than what did happen. "Applejack I promise I won't leave, not until you're better." Sephiroth said putting his hoof over his heart.

"Sephiroth I need to talk to you." Sephiroth turned to see Macintosh and Cherrilee standing in the doorway, "We can talk downstairs."

"If you have something you want to say then say it. I am not leaving Applejack's side." Sephiroth turned back around and sat down facing Applejack. His head lowered as he felt a great pain. He believed that this was his punishment for what he had done to her. "It was my fault this happened to Applejack, so I'm going to stay with her till she wakes up. She practically did the same thing for me."

"I wanted to tell you this without interrupting her sleep, but I'm okay with you living here." Sephiroth turned his head to face Macintosh. He had better not be joking with him. "We have a spare bedroom, you can stay there, but you'll have to do everything we ask because we aren't a charity here and we need all the help we can get."

"If it's help you want I shall provide." Sephiroth said turning his body to face Macintosh. "I thank you for giving me the benefit of the doubt."

"Don't thank me, thank Applejack. She may not have said anything to me but I know her and she would get on my saddle about me not allowing you to stay here." Macintosh smiled at Sephiroth for the first time since he's been here.

"Thank you Macintosh, if it's okay with you I'm going to stay by her side." Sephiroth said now asking permission because he lived in this house now and didn't want to force himself on anyone.

"You don't need to ask me." Macintosh said holding out his hoof to him "You already said you weren't leaving her side. I'd be a bad brother if I didn't have someone staying near her to watch for when she wakes up. Just make sure to tell us when she does alright?"

"I promise you I will notify you the moment she wakes up." Sephiroth put his hoof against Macintosh's and they shook. Macintosh grabbed Apple Bloom and walked out of the room with Cherrilee at his side. Sephiroth turned back to Applejack, "Applejack I promise you I won't allow this to happen again. I will protect you from now on, I will be your one-winged angel."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A Devil in Apple Acres

Sephiroth didn't move an inch the rest of the day. He stayed by Applejack's side as she began to look better and better. Night came and he still stayed by her side unmoving. He promised he wouldn't leave and said that he would stay by her side until she woke and he planned on keeping that promise. During the day the other members of the family including Granny Smith had popped their head in to check on the two of them and found them to be in the same position.

Sephiroth still felt that this was all his doing. He caused Applejack this pain. He began to wonder why his memories came to him so painfully. He wondered why they made this light that engulfed him take Applejack's strength. Now knowing how strong he is he could have taken that for hours. Applejack didn't need to give him her strength. Right now all he wanted to do was give her some of his strength.

Sephiroth's hoof raised after being planted on the floor for hours, he placed onto Applejack's hoof and began to concentrate. He knew that he couldn't give her much of his strength but if could give her just a sliver that would make him feel better. He felt his power running through his body and out of his hoof and into Applejack. After about three seconds of him transferring his energy he stopped and took his hoof away feeling like he had given her enough strength. He wanted to give more but what if that hurt her, Sephiroth wasn't going to take the chance of hurting his friend.

Suddenly Applejack groaned and Sephiroth stood up. He back away a little bit as he watched Applejack rise from the bed slightly. He breathed a hefty sigh of relief. Applejack looked over to Sephiroth and saw him standing there with a smile. "What happened Sephiroth?" Applejack asked holding her hoof to her head feeling greatly exhausted.

"Do you remember what happened earlier today?" Sephiroth asked presenting Applejack with a tray with food and water that Macintosh had brought up a few minutes before. Applejack took the water and drank. After drinking some she nodded her head. "It was all my fault you passed out Applejack I'm very sorry." Sephiroth couldn't ever say how sorry he was. He knew he didn't have the years to make up for this but he would try by any means necessary.

"Aw, you ain't got nothin to be sorry about." Sephiroth looked at her in confusion. Applejack put the water down back on the tray. She looked at it with a strange need, like it needed her to look at it. "I was worried if you were okay to be honest. I don't like seeing my friends being hurt. I'll do whatever I can to help you take those memories. I'll give as much of my strength as you need."

"Thank you Applejack, but I don't want you to do that. It pains me to see my only friend hurt like that." Sephiroth walked over to the window as the moonlight hit his body. "I won't let you get hurt like that again."

Applejack looked at Sephiroth now seeing what appeared to be a different side of him. He looked so different right now she couldn't believe it. Something about the moon hitting his silver mane made him look different. "Sephiroth you don't have to leave here if you don't want to." She said looking back down at her glass of water.

"I don't plan on it Applejack." Her cheeks went red as he looked to her. "Macintosh already said it was okay for me to stay here but he wanted me to tell everyone when you woke up." Sephiroth said to her softly, "I promise that I won't leave unless you want me to. After all I owe you a lot for all you've done for me."

"I haven't done that much." Applejack said blushing embarrassed by his words.

"You've done more for me than I believe any pony would." He held out his hoof to her. She looked at it with fascination. "I want to keep you safe Applejack so that you don't get hurt or have to give me your strength ever again."

"Sephiroth, no matter which way ya put it I'm gonna do what I think is right in my heart." She grabbed his hoof with both of hers. Applejack getting romantic, there's a first I think anyway. "I'm gonna help ya any way I can got it?"

"You have done more than needed and you've even been hurt for it." Sephiroth didn't know what was coming over him but he felt the sudden urge to cry. Tears began to roll down his cheeks. Applejack couldn't believe he was crying about that. "I don't think I have ever cried in my life, this would be my first time crying. I don't know why I need to cry but it just came and I can't stand my friend hurt either."

"Sephiroth please don't get mushy on me it doesn't really suit you in my opinion." Applejack put her hoof on his cheek. She smiled which made him tear up even more. She couldn't believe how much she meant to him even though they only knew each other for such a short time, and it was a very short time.

"I'm sorry but I do not know what mushy means. However you are my only friend in this world right now and I don't want to see you hurt, especially by me. I want you to leave me be when my memories start to come back okay?" Sephiroth was keeping his eyes away from Applejack. He didn't want her looking into them and seeing his fear.

"Listen if you're in pain than I'm gonna do my darnest to help ya no matter what ya tell me!" Sephiroth looked into her eyes and saw the honesty within them. Even though he practically begged her not to help him she was still going to help him.

This caused him to give a slight chuckle. "What's so funny?" Applejack asked taking her hooves away from his.

"I guess the two of us are just stubborn." Sephiroth said laughing even harder. Applejack thought a minute on what he said and soon found the humor in it as well and began to laugh just as hard as Sephiroth.

"That's quite the laugh you got there Seph." Applejack said as she calmed down from the laughing. "Seph how did you even get into my barn anyway?"

Sephiroth heard the question but had no idea how to respond to it. All he could do was look at her with a straight depressed face. "I wish I could give you those answers but I cannot give those answers right now." Sephiroth felt like he was about to remember something and was about to burst out the window when Applejack grabbed a hold of his hoof. He looked at her to see the smile spread across her face.

"Sephiroth promise me that you won't leave no matter what." Applejack said as the stinging of tears was felt. Sephiroth watched as a tear fell from her cheek. "When you left, something in me just hurt like crazy. I don't know why but seeing you leave hurt. I don't want to feel that hurt. Please tell me you'll never leave me or this place."

"I don't know if I can keep that promise but I will promise you that I will not allow anyone to hurt you." Sephiroth looked away feeling like he was letting the only pony that cares about him down. "I will try my best to accommodate that wish but I may not always be able to do that. But I will try."

"Thanks Sephiroth," Applejack lay back down in the bed getting comfortable ready for sleep. "Sephiroth maybe y'all should go and get some sleep to. I think I'll take y'all to Ponyville tomorrow. Just don't do anything crazy until then, alright?"

Sephiroth nodded his head to her as he left the room to go and fetch Macintosh. When he found the room that was meant for Macintosh and Cherrilee he found it empty. "Macintosh?" Sephiroth questioned why the colt wouldn't be in his room with his supposed lover. That's when Sephiroth heard the hoof steps from down the hall. He turned to see young Apple Bloom coming toward him. "Apple Bloom?"

"Hey Seph how's Applejack?" Apple Bloom asked looking cheerful. However Sephiroth saw something in the smile that he hasn't seen, well he doesn't remember seeing it. It was despair and then he remembered the word clearly without any pain.

"She woke up for a few minutes but then fell asleep Bloom. Let's let her lie there in peace for a while." Sephiroth then saw Bloom's smile turn into a frown when she looked out a window. "Apple Bloom do you know where Macintosh is?"

"Last I saw of him he went outside with Cherrilee." Apple Bloom said as she yawned and then heading back to her room. "Maybe he's still out there you can go check if you want."

Sephiroth nodded to the young filly and headed for the exit of the house. He stepped out of the home and felt this strange urge to run but he wouldn't hurt Applejack again. He crushed the urge within him using little willpower. Suddenly he heard rustling from the trees to his left. His wing shot out and he took flight hovering over Apple Acres he looked in that direction. The moon favored him because within three seconds he saw Macintosh's red color and flew that way, but he heard something that sent him flying higher but within hearing range.

"You can't do this to us we haven't done anything to you ponies." It was Cherrilee's voice that he heard. He flew over the spot without even flapping his wing. He just floated like a badass. When he came to the spot he saw Macintosh and Cherrilee in front of a group of shady looking colts and mares that wore all black suits and had what looked like swords equipped to their backs. On their hooves were gauntlets that looked to be surgically attached to their hooves they moved as well. There were at least twelve of them. They all pushed the two ponies up against a large apple tree. Macintosh kept in front of Cherrilee ready to give his life for the mare he loved.

"Oh but you live on our king's property, and law dictates that you must pay us a tax, or you and your family will suffer a great tragedy." The one leading them stood on his hind hooves and made a shrugging gesture. His gauntlets made a fist and he slammed it on Macintosh's head. Sephiroth watched horrified at what he was witnessing. "I did tell you that correct?"

"Macintosh!" Cherrilee ran to his side. She turned facing the colts that stared her down. Some of the girls were laughing evilly while the boys seemed to be snickering as they stared at Cherrilee. "Stay away from us you freaks!"

"Oh we're not freaks my dear sweet teacher." The lead colt grabbed at her hair and pulled it up causing her to scream. He then ran his gauntlet hands down her hind hooves. She screamed and yelped even louder as Macintosh was grabbed by three of the other colts and was beaten repeatedly. They soon stopped though because he fell unconscious. "Oh well that's no fun at all." He threw Cherrilee down, "It gives me great pleasure to give you all despair but I must be getting back to my king now. Be happy that it was late you could have gotten lucky sweetheart. Maybe next time."

For some reason hearing the word despair sent Sephiroth's memories off the deep end. He flew down and his wing drew back into his body. He held his head with his hooves as the pain and memories came back. He remembered all that he did with Masamune. He remembered all the lives he had taken and how he had felt so excited and happy that these lives were gone. He remembered loving the feeling that he gave others when they cried for mercy. He couldn't believe this was who he was. He remembered everything in that one second of enormous pain that had him on his knees. He remembered being human before becoming this stallion. He remembered how he tried to completely ruin the world he used to live on for the sake of his mother Jenova. He remembered the enemies or heroes that had stopped him. He remembered everything from Dissidia. He remembered that he was nothing but a product of science. "So that's what I am, just a creation." Sephiroth felt like he was going to lose it just as he did back on his world but then he remembered Applejack's face and smile.

"If they enjoy it that much maybe I should provide for them." Sephiroth now that he remembered everything knew that he could protect Applejack unlike his mother who was now gone forever. He decided to make Applejack his Jenova only not in the same respect. He could never have his mother back now but he could keep alive what he cared about now. His head turned around as he heard Cherrilee scream.

"You're all sick monsters!" Cherrilee screamed out loud as if she wanted somepony to hear her. "Why don't you all just die you monsters!?"

Sephiroth started walking but not toward Cherrilee as his front hooves became enhanced with magic. He stood on his hind hooves and walked to farther away from Cherrilee and Macintosh.

"Hey boss what do you think that is?" One of the lead colt's asked pointing his gauntlet at a light that seemed to be walking across the dark apple grove. They couldn't see what the light belonged to but they knew it couldn't have been harmful. They knew nothing in Ponyville was harmful even those silly mares with the Elements of Harmony.

"Just ignore it," The leading colt said swiping his arm silencing his subordinate. "Now we'll be back soon for our money so you better get it or we might take it another way." The leading colt licked his lips as he stared at Cherrilee with evil intent. Cherrilee was horrified that these colts would go as far as that just to get their damn money.

"We'll have the money but please don't hurt us anymore please." Cherrilee pleaded because she couldn't take seeing Macintosh getting hurt like this. "Just leave this place we'll get you the money just get out of here!"

"As you wish my dear sweet cherry." The leading colt said as the rest of his crew followed him away from the horrible sight they had created. They left laughing at the poor teacher they had just hurt with her unconscious coltfriend.

Cherrilee wished at that moment that someone would give them the despair that they gave to them. Little did she know that wish was just about to come true. For, Sephiroth laid waiting, his back against a tree, as he heard the oncoming voices of the colts who had desecrated this orchid.

"Did you see the look on the chick's face when the boss slid his gauntlet across her flanks." One of them said laughing like a hyena. "It was priceless, if only that colt had remained awake. I would have loved to have seen his face when the boss had his way with her. Unfortunately we had to return by a certain time or we could have played with her a little more."

"Yes it is a shame that we didn't get to spend more time with the lovely Cherrilee but all good comes with patience my flock." The guy sounded demented and insane which he technically was. "I wish we could have some fun tonight. Oh if only we could cause some despair oh how I want despair!"

"Then I shall provide you with it." The twelve ponies turned their heads and saw a white colt standing there with his hooves at his sides. "So you all enjoy despair huh?" Sephiroth although not wanting to the man he once was thought that he could be that person for these colt s and mares who hurt the family of the one he cared about.

"Who the heck are you freak?" One of them said standing on his hind hooves and drawing his blade.

"I am the angel who shall give you what you asked for. Despair isn't that what you wanted?" Sephiroth spoke with malicious intent and that sent all the colts and mares around their boss draw their weapons and get around him.

"Why would you want to give us despair? Besides we would just tear you to shreds." The boss said laughing as he drew his two long knives.

"So you think that you can defeat me now?" Sephiroth held out his right hoof and the Masamune magically appeared in it. His arm slowly came until the hilt of the blade stretched behind him. "I haven't seen a sorrier looking bunch of fools in a while now. Let us see if you can provide me with some entertainment."

"Oh we'll be giving entertainment alright!" The colt who had first drawn his blade charged Sephiroth ready to kill him. Sephiroth tightened the magical grip he had on his blade. It was like he had his hands around the hilt, he could feel the entire circular length of his blade from the point to its bottom. "Now why don't you just die!?"

Sephiroth looked at him and smiled as he raised his blade blocking the colt's attack with little effort. "Is that the best you have, because it won't be enough to truly give me the entertainment I seek from you ponies. After all you find joy in despair so you should enjoy my gift to you." Sephiroth said holding his blade with both hooves. He charged slicing at the colt's head but truly just knocking his blade away from his gut. He sliced across the colt's waist line making a clean cut. The colt stuttered for a second but as Sephiroth whipped his blade getting rid of the blood from his blade the body fell blasting out blood. It oozed from the body as it lay there now in two pieces.

The gang that he was a part of saw what had just happened. How did that stallion just done that? "Well it looks like we'll have some fun now won't we my flock? Let's show him a good time everypony!" The boss said looking excited to finally have some excitement.

All the ponies that worked for him surrounded Sephiroth pointing their swords at him. He just looked ahead of him as he heard three of them come at him. He twisted his body to the left blocking the first incomer, he turned holding his blade up straight blocking the next incomer. He knocked the mare back with a simple swipe of his blade as he swung around slicing the next incomer's head right off. Blood sprouted from the place where the head used to be like a fountain. That for some reason only got the boss of these creeps even more excited. His gang kept going at Sephiroth, but his movements flowed as if they were a dance as he wasn't even touched once by a blade or hoof. He jumped into the air and forced some of his magic into the blade and headed straight for three colts. He sliced three times for the first killing that one, then proceeded with two more slashed cleaving the next colt into three pieces, the last one he sliced into the air and proceeded with three more slashes sending blood everywhere except toward Sephiroth.

Sephiroth landed on the ground in front of the slaughter he had given to five of this crazed man's ponies. Their bodies bleeding from the wounds and cuts he gave them. Sephiroth stared at the boss and his six remaining ponies. He held the Masamune pointing it at the gang. Suddenly his body gave off a strange aura as he flew past the group forcing his blade through one's gut. He tore his blade from the victim slicing his body into three pieces like most of his fellow allies. Sephiroth was enjoying himself, he enjoyed giving others the suffering they gave to others especially when he got to use his blade. However Sephiroth quickly reminded himself that he was doing this for Applejack and not for his own fun. He just made it sound like that. Something in him felt different, he felt a greater strength than he did when he was with his mother. Just thinking about Applejack gave this power to him. He liked how it felt but at the same time it felt like a poison to him because he had never felt it before.

Sephiroth paid no mind to it as he turned to slice another two fools who thought they could get him from behind. Sephiroth had not one drop of blood on his person or clothes. He stood there only his blade soaked in the liquid of blood. Three more lackeys stood behind their boss looking horrified. Sephiroth gave a single chuckle as he got ready for another charge. They all looked at him as he glowed with this red like aura that surrounded him like a flame. His blade glowed with a purple sheen. The three lackeys ran at that point leaving their boss, but Sephiroth promised despair and he would give it to all of those who had given it to Applejack's family. He leaped into the air and slammed into the middle of the three causing the ground to heave and come up as if it erupted sending the three of them into the air. Sephiroth didn't slice them into pieces like he did the others no, he gave small gashes on them as they began to fall down back to the dirt. He swung his blade not hitting anything which propelled the three lackeys to the ground.

Their boss stood there in awe of this stallion's power as it looked like he floated gently down to the ground. "Well that was a bore that I wish I didn't need to go through." He said putting his arms at his sides not even looking at the boss. "Well I hope you can give me more fun than those fools did."

"Oh I can give that to you sir but I must ask where all that strength came from?" The boss laughed as he held his knives like a psycho.

"From my beloved mother, who is no longer here with me anymore." Sephiroth felt a pain in his chest well it was always there but for some reason it hurt less than before. He didn't know why but he accepted it for what it was. Any less pain was good to him. "Now can we stop talking and get to the main event?"

"Lets!" The boss jumped at Sephiroth connecting his two knives with Sephiroth's blade. He giggled a little and then jumped away. "Oh you are powerful this will be delectable." He jumped into the thicket in the orchid and vanished. Sephiroth wasn't worried though he stood there unmoving his blade at his side. "Peek a boo-GAH!" The boss jumped out at him but was stopped half way as he now hung on the end of Sephiroth's blade.

"You are just as pathetic as your foolish helpers." Sephiroth was done toying around with this monkey and his peons. His wing blasted out from his back as he threw the boss into the air who screamed bloody like as Sephiroth cut and cut at his body. "You asked for despair so I shall provide." Sephiroth's blade glowed green this time as he leapt into the air above the boss. He came down thrusting his blade threw the colt's gut. He didn't waver from his path as he darted toward the ground with the mad boss at the end of his blade. "Now you will see my promised land, say hello to my mother." Sephiroth landed causing the ground around him to go with him creating a crater in Apple Acres. The boss now utterly dead completely obliterated by Sephiroth's Hell's Gate attack.

He looked around at the slaughter he created and snapped his fingers. Flames rose from the dead corpses as they were reduced to nothing but ash. The wind took their ashes and blew them away from Apple Acres. Sephiroth swiped his arm and Masamune disappeared. He headed back to see if Macintosh was alright and found that Cherrilee still stood there over him crying as if he were dead. Sephiroth approached on all fours still a little excited from the fight.

"What happened here?" Sephiroth asked trying to sound oblivious. He didn't want to have to explain what he just did. He didn't want Applejack fearing him. He knew now the fear he could pose onto her. He knew now what he was capable of. He couldn't believe what he was before this. He didn't want to be that person again, because it would mean that Applejack would die and for some reason that hurt him. He only allowed the darkness in his heart to come out for those creeps who had hurt Macintosh and Cherrilee. Now it was all a matter of self-control.

"Sephiroth!" Cherrilee rushed to him holding him like he was about to die which will probably only happen if he kills himself but we'll see. "It was horrible the debt collectors came and Macintosh tried to get them to leave but he was knocked out cold. Oh my dear Macintosh." Cherrilee's tears had this strange effect on Sephiroth, he felt sympathy which something before this world he found to be nothing but an obstacle between he and his mother's future. Now he wanted to feel every emotion again. He wanted to be human and not the monster he knew he was.

"We should get him back to the house." Sephiroth held out a hoof and a blue glow surrounded Macintosh as he floated into the air and was placed on Sephiroth's back. Cherrilee looked at him in astonishment. "Why are you looking at me that way?"

"I've never seen a pegasus, nor an earth pony use magic before but you're the first to use it and I cannot deny what I just saw." Cherrilee was baffled at how Sephiroth was able to use magic without being a unicorn or an alicorn. It is unheard of in Equestria that a pony could use magic without being a unicorn or alicorn. That was about to change.

"Yes that was magic that I possess. I use it normally for my own means but now I have other uses for it such as helping you with this colt. In will do whatever I can to make up for the trouble I have caused you up till now." Sephiroth wasn't exactly lying but he wasn't telling the truth either. Sephiroth really was sorry but he knew after what he had just done would cause more trouble for the family and he would one day have to show everypony what powers he really had. For now, though, he would try and keep it as down low as possible.

They reached the home within minutes of leaving the orchid. "Sephiroth I have to ask you, did you hear all that screaming a few minutes before you got to us?" Cherrilee asked which stopped Sephiroth in his tracks. He stood there with Macintosh on his back as he tried to think of a response. He couldn't tell her that he caused those screams then he would have to leave Sweet Apple Acres and Applejack would kill him for that. Well she would try and kill him anyway. "Sephiroth are you alright?"

"Huh? Yes I'm fine." Sephiroth didn't want to lie to her but it was to keep Applejack from crying again. "I'm sorry but maybe you were hearing things because I never heard any screaming from the orchid."

"Hmm, well it could have just been my imagination. I guess it was so you don't need to think about it anymore Sephiroth." Cherrilee said smiling at him. What she didn't know was that Sephiroth was saying to himself in his head that he would have to find a way to explain the crater he caused in the orchid down a ways.

"Thank you remembering things hurts right now so I'm trying to do less of that." He hoped there was nothing else to remember but then he realized that the heroes that stopped him back on his world, their names he forgot especially the one he toyed with the most. He didn't want to remember them, but he began to think what if they were here to? What if they found him, would they try and eliminate him or would they try and see the good in him that he finally saw. A good found by Applejack and no one else.

They got inside the house to see Applejack and Apple Bloom out of bed. They had worried written all over their faces. Applejack ran over to Sephiroth and wrapped her hooves around his neck. His breathing stopped as he felt this warmth in his chest. He had never felt this way nor has this feeling ever come to him before. Why now? He thought repeatedly, why did it happen with this pony?

"Thank goodness y'all are alright." Applejack said but then noticed Macintosh on Sephiroth's back. "What happened to Macintosh?"

"Those debt collectors came by again. Macintosh tried to stop them from harassing us but they only knocked him out." Cherrilee had tears running down her cheeks. Sephiroth felt horrible because he couldn't tell the family that he had taken care of them but he knew eventually that more would come so he thought it best to not mention the subject. "If only somepony would teach them a lesson. I bet you they would stop harassing us if we did to them what they do to us."

Sephiroth felt another sting at his chest because the truth he wished to tell couldn't be told for their sake. "I see so they went and beat up big Mac huh? Darn those varmints why do they always have to mess with us? Why do they constantly pick on us and no one else?" Applejack asked to no pony in particular because no one would have the answer.

"Applejack I am sorry. If only I had gotten there sooner maybe I could have dealt with these debt collectors." Sephiroth wanted to tell Applejack the truth but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Why was he so afraid to tell a girl what he had done? He just didn't understand any of it.

"No Sephiroth if you were there you would have been hurt to. I would have been devastated if you were hurt as well. I mean I'm already torn that they did that to Macintosh but for some reason if you happened to get hurt than I would have lost it." Sephiroth felt honored to hear those words come from Applejack. He needed the push I guess. "The next time they come here I'll deal with them. Then they won't be messin' with us."

Sephiroth knew that would never happen not until they were told, demanded not to come back here. However, he wasn't about to go and search for them. He had no idea where to look, sure he could level a town with the power his body had now but he wasn't about to make a scene that would get Applejack hurt. No, the only way he found that could get him the information would be if one of their idiot puppets said where it was.

"I think we should get Macintosh to bed before we do anything else." Sephiroth said heading up the stairs with the rest of the group following close behind. He got to Macintosh's room and used his magic to place him on top of it. Applejack saw the use of magic but no horn on Sephiroth and was absolutely astounded by it.

"Thanks Sephiroth I'll take over from here you go and get some rest. That goes for everypony here now." Cherrilee didn't want to have anypony in the room with her right now. She wanted to be alone with her cherished love for the rest of the night. She didn't want anypony seeing her cry for hours.

Sephiroth nodded and left the room with Applejack following. "Hey Seph how did you use magic back there?" Applejack asked feeling like Sephiroth wasn't being completely honest with her.

"I can't explain it right now, but all I can say is that I can use magic. I just don't feel like going through one of those headaches again." Sephiroth said telling the truth actually. He remembered who and what he used to be but he didn't remember every attack or spell he knew.

"Well if that's how ya feel then alright. I won't go pryin where it's not wanted but Sephiroth I don't care what you are or who you were. You're who you are now and that's all that matters. You're a dear friend of mine now, one that's close to my heart. I don't want that friend feeling like he can't tell me everything." Applejack's eyes pierced Sephiroth's as for the first time in his life he blushed. Yes everyone he blushed.

Sephiroth had never felt such a warm feeling on his face before. This feeling he liked it and his chest seemed to be on fire. Why did his chest feel this way? If only someone could tell him. Maybe someone or somepony down the road can tell him, but for now he's just happy to know that Applejack cares about him. "Applejack I promise you if I find myself in a hole I'll come to you first." Sephiroth knew he wasn't keen on promises but he planned on keeping this one. "You should go and get some sleep now. You still need to recover from what happened."

"I know Seph. Just please don't get yourself hurt because of something stupid alright?" Applejack said at random for some odd reason.

"Are you saying that I'm likely to get into trouble for being myself?" Sephiroth asked feeling a little hurt by that statement.

"No that's not what I meant. To be honest I don't know where it came from. I may just be over worrying myself." Applejack ran over to Sephiroth and wrapped her hooves around his neck for the second time. Sephiroth's eyes widened as she held him in her arms. Applejack said nothing as she let him go and headed for the room to get some rest.

She shut the door and breathed deeply. "Why did I just do that?" She asked herself as she got back into bed. She began to mull it over as she began asking herself a bunch of other questions. She knew that Sephiroth was her friend but she was never that quick to react to anyone when they were in trouble. She didn't hesitate she just acted. Normally she'd think it through before doing anything. At least that's what I have seen. Then she remembered the pain she had when Sephiroth tried to leave. Why had she been ready to cry then?

She soon remembered when the girls dealt with Macintosh's love problem. The way Cherrilee gets when Macintosh gets hurt she looks ready to die. The way they she constantly worries about him. "Wait am I in love with Sephiroth?" Applejack whispered to herself still finding it hard to believe but it was the truth. "Well I guess I'll find out when we go to Ponyville tomorrow. I hope Sephiroth is okay with that?"

Sephiroth walked over to the room that they had placed him in when he was unconscious. He pulled himself onto the bed and lay down. He began to think of the day and how he had become a part of this new world. He didn't understand how he got here but he was happy that he did. Now he had something to protect and not something to destroy. He would protect Applejack with his whole being even if that meant going to the devil inside of him.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sephiroth's Truth

Sephiroth woke the next morning to find himself alone in the room. For some reason he thought somepony would be waiting for him by his side. He held a hoof to his head as the memories from yesterday still weighed heavily upon him. He still couldn't believe what he had done before coming to this world. He didn't understand why someone who was hailed a hero would turn into one of the worst people in the entire world.

He couldn't let Applejack know who he was no matter what. He stood out of the bed and walked over to the door on all fours, he's not going to be fighting all the time but he might be most of the time. Okay maybe not most of the time, I'm confusing myself here. Anyway, Sephiroth didn't want any pony knowing his past, not until he was ready to tell it. At least Applejack understood that.

A knock came suddenly at his door and he looked up to see Applejack walk in. "Howdy Seph. How ya doing this mornin?"

"I'm well Applejack thank you." Sephiroth said happy to see her so early in the morning. He was happy that his heart was all aflutter when she was here. This was only his second day in the pony world he now called home. Where his mother no longer existed, and where he hoped none of his enemies stayed. Especially the one with the giant sword. For some reason his mind wouldn't give him the name of that person only images of him and he fighting and him losing. "Is there something you needed Applejack?"

"Well I was wonderin if you'd like to come with me on a stroll in Ponyville?" Applejack asked feeling embarrassed that she was even asking this. She only thought she might like him that way but being in the same room with him alone had a different effect on her. Her heart couldn't stop pounding as he walked closer to her.

"I have nothing planned so I might as well go with you. Unless your brother has work for me?" Sephiroth said feeling actually embarrassed by the proposal that Applejack gave. Yes folks, Sephiroth is going to get every feeling he lacked from his world here.

Macintosh as if on cue walked into the room. "Hey Sephiroth, could you run to Ponyville for us and get some pie dough?" Sephiroth was amazed at Macintosh's timing but he soon found himself in a bind. He was going to be going to Ponyville with Applejack.

"I'll take him there Macintosh since it will be his first time there." Applejack said turning toward him. He felt the beating of his heart increase at that moment. He didn't know whether to enjoy the feeling or despise it. He remembered his past minus a few things but he was different thanks to Applejack. "So Sephiroth what'll it be?"

"I guess I have no choice then. It looks like I'll be going with you to Ponyville." Sephiroth said giving a light chuckle. "Shall we go then?"

Applejack didn't know why but she felt like Sephiroth was acting differently now than he did yesterday. Macintosh stepped out of the way as the stallion walked out of his room. Applejack quickly followed him as they exited the house together. "Applejack can…I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything Seph so let it out." Applejack said smiling at him with hope that maybe he would open up to her.

"If I were, in my past a murderer who cared about nothing but himself and his mother's desires would you say that you cared for me?" Sephiroth asked really blatantly putting that question out there. "Would you still call me a friend?"

"Of course I would." Applejack said getting a shocked face from Sephiroth as a response. "Whatever you were in the past, that's who you were then not who you are now. You're a good friend Sephiroth and I hold that kind of friendship close to my heart. Basically I'd never hate you Sephiroth and I don't lie!"

Sephiroth smiled with happiness as the words left her mouth. He walked closer to her and put his hoof against her cheek. She looked up at him and blushed as her heart pounded like a marching drum. "Thank you that makes me feel more…at ease I guess. Never thought I would actually care what someone thought of me."

"Wait so you remembered who you were?" Applejack asked feeling this would be her only chance to get that information from him. "Please tell me Sephiroth."

"All I can remember is that I was once a killer to a whole other world. And that I took pleasure in doing it, that's all I can remember. Does that make you hate me?" Sephiroth asked looking down at his hoof that still remained on Applejack's cheek.

Applejack pushed closer to him putting her head on his chest causing his heart to stop for five seconds even. "I told you Sephiroth nothing can make me hate you. And so what if you were once that on some other world, you aren't that pony here. Sephiroth I want you to be open with me. If there's something in your past that bothers you please don't be afraid to tell me. I'll help you anyway I can."

Sephiroth put his hooves around Applejack as he couldn't control his body at that point. He didn't know what he was doing it for but that he needed to. He wanted her close. He wanted her very close to him, but he didn't want to hurt her because he knew what he could do if he wanted to. "Thank you Applejack, I have been hesitant due to that little detail. If anymore of my memories come back to me I'll tell you." Sephiroth said releasing the mare from his grasp.

"Thanks Sephiroth, now let's get to Ponyville and get that pie dough for tonight's desert." Applejack said winking at him. Completely out of character that was and a little shocking to me and I'm the one writing the damn story. Sephiroth followed close behind Applejack again wanting to keep her close because of how he made him feel happy.

When they walked out of Apple Acres Sephiroth saw the town just over a hill. He walked a little faster getting ahead of Applejack, which slightly shocked her. She caught up with him rather quickly though as he stood at the entrance to Ponyville. He looked at it and remembered the town that he had torched and burned because of his mother. The memory hurt but not that much because he already had remembered the incident that he caused back then.

"Welcome to Ponyville Sephiroth, c'mon there's so much to see here but we should get what we came here to do done first." Applejack said as she grabbed his hoof and pulled him into Ponyville. His cloak blew in the breeze that for some reason came when he entered.

Applejack dragged him through the front of Ponyville. That is until they came to a small little bakery. They walked in hearing the sound of the little bell from the door. Sephiroth walked into the bakery with much hesitation as he didn't know what to expect. Suddenly a pink pony appeared out of nowhere right in front of him. "Hiya what's your name? You must be new because I know everypony here in Ponyville and if I don't know you then you must be new."

"Pinkie Pie, don't frighten him!" Applejack scolded feeling like too much Pinkie would send him running for the mountains. "Sorry Seph but she's always like this you'll get used to her."

"It's alright, I'm used to most things. She just surprised me that's all." Sephiroth said honestly, he never saw her until she was there in front of him. "Now um can you please move aside we have an errand that needs running."

"Oh sure come on in but be quiet because the little babies are sleeping." Pinkie said quieting down, thank you babies.

"Pinkie Pie who's out there?" An orange pony came out wearing an apron and bakers hat. "Oh Applejack it's nice to see you. Who's your friend there?"

"This here's Sephiroth, Carrot Cake. He's staying on the farm right now until he can get his bearings. But he's a nice guy so don't worry." Applejack said nudging Sephiroth in the arm. "So how are the little ones doing?"

"Oh they're just great Applejack." He said looking at Sephiroth and seeing how tall he was thought he must have been quite the handful. You have no idea. "Cupcake should be out with them really soon and…"

On cue two little ponies a baby filly and colt came flying through the doors of the kitchen. Carrot Cake looked like he was about to die. Sephiroth stared at the two babies and stretched out his hoof. Suddenly both of them stopped moving. He brought them into his arm and felt a sort of comforting feeling holding them. They looked up at him with their big eyes and smiled as a cake was thrown against his face. Applejack thought that Sephiroth was going to be mad or something but instead he laughed. He laughed hard.

"I see these two are little tricksters then. Ha, they're going to be great kids from their energy. Just don't let them get near anything sharp." Sephiroth said sounding like he had experience with it. "Now run along little ones."

"Sephiroth I didn't know you had experience with kids?" Applejack said shocked by what she just saw.

"Well I'm a little surprised myself that I was able to handle it. But those two remind me of a memory that I once had when I was out on a mission from where I'm from. These two little ones barely able to walk wouldn't leave me alone. They just kept coming and coming. Their parents were worried because they knew who I was but for some reason my mother told me that they were from her and I felt a connection with them. Perhaps they wanted to be with their older brother. I don't know but they were definitely like those two." Sephiroth said recalling the memory that no one else knew about. "They lived a long life that family as far as I'm concerned."

"You mean they didn't get killed." Applejack asked really not thinking about her words.

"What do you mean by killed Applejack?" Cupcake said grabbing her two little ones and placing them into their carriers on her sides.

"Well apparently Sephiroth used to be some murderer in his past but like I said he's a nice guy and won't be doing any of that anymore right?" Applejack said feeling like she could talk freely about Sephiroth.

"He used to be a what?" Pinkie shouted getting in front of the Cake family. Sephiroth felt that he couldn't lie but he couldn't tell the truth. "Anyone who kills doesn't change Applejack. I can see it in his eyes that he wants to harm the little ones right now."

"Listen you've got it wrong I wouldn't dream of hurting those little ones there. Yes I was a killer in my past as far as I can remember right now but I don't plan on repeating my history." Sephiroth spoke trying to dig himself out of the hole Applejack put him in but only seemed to be digging deeper into the hole.

"See you are a bad guy and no bad guy is allowed to be near these babies!" Pinkie shouted at Sephiroth causing his heart to feel pain yet again. Sephiroth cannot catch a break can he?

Before Sephiroth could respond a wall blasted inwards and he got in front of Applejack shielding her from some of the debris. The next thing he heard was the scream from Cupcake. He already knew what happened and wanted to go after the thugs, no matter how many there were, but he had to make sure every other pony was okay. The smoke soon cleared but Cupcake was still there and okay. Sephiroth noticed the carrier on her flanks and knew what the thieves took.

"Where are the babies?" Cupcake screamed as they looked at the opened door. Sephiroth was the first one out the door as he needed to be for what he was about to do. They all looked out to see six ponies clothed in black with two babies that two of them had in their mouths. "No not our babies too! NO!"

"Applejack, keep the family calm I'll be back with the kids." Sephiroth said as he stood on his hind legs.

"What the hey? How is he standing like that?" Pinkie asked Applejack who was enthralled by how Sephiroth looked then.

Sephiroth threw out his arm and Masamune appeared in his hoof. His wing sprouted from his right side and he darted for the thieves leaving a large cloud of smoke behind him. He darted right in front of the ponies that stopped in shock at how fast he was. "Now where do we think we're going?" Sephiroth said as he floated in front of them with Masamune pointed at them. "I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you."

"That ain't any of your business freak. Boys take care of this stunt boy." The lead one said as the two babies were placed in the carrier on his flanks. Two unicorn ponies got in front and they fired off two beams of magic.

Sephiroth swung his blade twice halting both magic attacks. "Stunt boy, eh I've been called worse than that from a lizard. Now let me show you what happens when you cause despair to those who don't deserve it." Sephiroth darted in front of one of the unicorns and slashed sideways with his blade cleaving the colt in two. Everypony that was outside was watching Sephiroth now. "You see if you wish to cause despair then I'll be happy to give it to you."

Sephiroth sliced three times dismembering the other unicorn. He flexed his hoof and flames consumed the dead unicorns turning the bodies to ash. "Now," He said pointing his blade at the one holding the babies, "if you don't want to end up like those two fools you'll do the smart thing and let the children go. After all they are my little brother and sister."

Applejack and the Cake family had gotten closer to hear him say that. "I'm very protective of my family, especially when my mother was still alive. Now she's gone and I don't mind making these two her replacement so you would really be smart if you gave them up." Sephiroth said holding Masamune with both of his hooves.

"Yeah right and miss our payday freak. Boys kill him now!" The one with the babies said running in another direction.

"Oh are we gonna play cat and mouse. Guess I'm the cat and you're the mice." Sephiroth said darting toward one of the three remaining thieves and slammed his left hoof into his throat breaking his wind pipe. Sephiroth then proceeded to thrust his blade threw the colt as he lay on it dying. "You seem to enjoy despair, so why don't I give it to you?" Sephiroth sliced his blade out from the colt's body and felt both of the blades from the other two go into his back. He coughed as the feeling of his blood came. "Heh, that all you have?" Sephiroth said turning his body with the blades still inside of him. "This is nothing." He said as his blade glowed a deep violet and he then proceeded with eight slashes decimating the last two thieves that stood between him and their boss.

He raised his hoof again and set the dead bodies on fire. They were quickly reduced to dust. Sephiroth unfurled his wing and took to the skies as he knew where to look for the last thief. He found him just like he had thought, and Sephiroth wasn't going to waste any time playing with this pony. Not when the two little ones needed him. He felt a connection with them just as he did with the two from his memory. Perhaps these were them in pony form.

"How did you?" The last thief said as Sephiroth landed in front of him leaving a crater where he landed. "Fine take the stupid kids, and just let me live you freak!"

"Wise choice." Sephiroth said as he watched the thief take the young colt and filly. Sephiroth stepped out of the crater but immediately saw a blinking red light on the sash of the carrier that the babies were in. HE darted for them and slashed it off and took to the skies again. The little box that was on the carrier blew right in Sephiroth's hands as he was still rising but far enough up that the shockwave wouldn't hurt the children.

Applejack saw the explosion in the sky, "No," and feared that Sephiroth was dead and she dropped to the floor. Her heart completely broken. He died before she learned any more about him. Why, why did he get taken from her and why now when she was feeling this way about a stallion for the first time? "NOOOOO!" Applejack wailed thinking that Sephiroth was dead.

Pinkie Pie looked at her friend and saw the pain that she was in and couldn't believe that her friend could like such a bad guy. The smoke cloud that Sephiroth had been caught in began to clear away. The boss of the thieves was still laughing thinking he had just blown Sephiroth away. "Is that the best you have?" A voice came from inside the cloud of smoke. The thief stopped laughing as he looked up in horror. Sephiroth flapped his wing sending the cloud of smoke away.

"You planned on killing both the children and I with that explosion didn't you?" Sephiroth said as he floated down in front of the boss. He saw that the two babies were looking at him with smiles. "Little ones please don't look." Sephiroth said smiling their way. They looked the other way holding their little hooves over their ears. Sephiroth gave a light chuckle as he put the edge of his blade against the thief throat. He flew into the air, "Now to the Promised Land." He said as his blade turned an emerald green. H came down leaving pulse waves of green energy as he came down. He crashed into the thief blade going right through his throat and jugular.

He took his blade out of the thief and set his body a blaze as soon as he could. He then walked through the ashes sending his blade back to the farm. He got back down on all four hooves as he picked both little ones up with his mouth. He unfurled his wing and slowly got into the air so as not to harm the babies. Applejack was still crying not looking up. He couldn't believe that she thought he was dead. Pinkie didn't see him coming but he could hear the cries of Cupcake as he began his decent.

"What are we going to do Carrot Cake? We can't just let our babies be taken from us, we have to do something!" Cupcake screamed as the wind suddenly picked up behind her. She turned around to see Sephiroth land on the ground his back turned to them.

"You won't need to do anything Ms. Cake." Sephiroth said turning around with the two little ones in his arm. Applejack's head shot around with tears filling her eyes. "I believe these two belong to you." Sephiroth said handing the two little ones to Cupcake. "They are unharmed and the thieves that took them are all dead. I apologize that they were saved by me but it seemed like no one else was going to do anything."

"You have nothing to apologize for mister Sephiroth. You've done a great deed for us and the whole town. No pony has stood up to those goons and you took them all out in a few minutes." Carrot Cake said putting out his hoof for Sephiroth to take and shake. "We're sorry that we ever thought you could hurt our little ones but why did you call them your little brother and sister?"

"Well like I said they remind me of those two kids from my past. I guess these two might be them or maybe they're just like them and I'm just crazy. But I will protect everyone I believe to be a part of my family meaning them." Sephiroth said smiling down at the two little ones. Then Applejack threw herself at him wrapping him in her arms. "Applejack?"

"Thank Celestia you're alright Seph." She said crying into his chest. He couldn't believe she was making such a big deal out of what happened. "I thought I had lost ya to those goons for sure. I'm just so happy right now."

"Wow you must mean a lot to her to make her cry like that Sephy." Pinkie said jumping up and down.

"Applejack it will take more than a simple bomb to take me out." Sephiroth said putting one of his hooves around her.

"That still doesn't mean I didn't feel what I felt. I thought I wasn't going to see you again and I didn't want you to leave me yet. I don't understand it at all, but for some reason I just want to be with ya all the time it's why I asked if you'd come with me to Ponyville." Applejack said holding him tighter.

Sephiroth felt something in his chest that he hadn't felt before. He looked down at Applejack and that feeling got stronger. He couldn't believe what his heart was doing. It was beating faster than when he found his mother. Was she that important to him? He said he would protect her but that didn't mean he loved her. His other hoof beyond his knowledge wrapped around Applejack and drew her even closer to him.

"You two look like a great couple!" Sephiroth and Applejack both looked at the Cake family in confusion. "It's obvious that the two of you care for each other greatly and after knowing each other for only a single day. It must be love that has you feeling this way. Why not try and see where your hearts take you?"

"I don't know if I would be the kind for romantics." Sephiroth said as he let Applejack go, but he felt hurt doing that.

"Sephiroth I know this is a little sudden but what would ya say if I said that I did have feelings like that for ya?" Sephiroth stopped and turned around quickly looking at Applejack who was blushing heavily. His eyes widened when he realized that Applejack was being serious. "What would ya say really Sephiroth?"

"I would normally say to a woman or mare now that they should look for someone better than me. I would only bring them pain and a broken heart and I wouldn't want that on you at all. However for some reason that's not what I really want to say to you. I promised you that I would be your one-winged angel and always be with you. I thought that was just to keep you from crying like a child but now, thinking upon it more in detail, I think that it may be possible that these feelings I have been having might be that of love." Applejack's eyes widened as the tall stallion approached her. "I just want to be sure that I'm not being fooled by both myself and you."

"I'm not fooling you Sephiroth, I really have these feelings for ya. It's just that I didn't realize how strong they were until I thought you were gone forever." Applejack said looking down away from him. "I really want to get to know you all the more and have you and I a real relationship if you're willing to try?"

"Heh, well I have been known to do things a little differently. I think I can try to do this relationship thing but what would your brother say to me being your heart's desire?" Sephiroth asked not knowing how he should put it. This is his first time people give him a little break. "Do you think he would allow it?"

"I don't care what Macintosh or Cherrilee say about us. I care about you too much to let anypony stand in my way of these feelings. But I also would make him okay with that but he would probably be happier if we asked him the question first." Applejack said putting her head up against his chest again. For the first time in his life, Sephiroth felt true joy for wanting to be with someone other than himself. This feeling he wanted to keep.

"Applejack you seem to be the only female ever to truly make me fear death. If this is what you want then I shall provide for you that which you want." Sephiroth said holding her in his arms close to him as his chin rested on her neck. Sephiroth truly didn't know how to be in love or how to treat a girl at all but he was willing to learn if it would make Applejack happy. If it would make his new Jenova happy. Jenova, what he calls Applejack in his head; since he doesn't have his mother and all. But he also doesn't see her as Jenova because of the way she is, the way Applejack is. He is just replacing his mother with Applejack for those who don't get it.

"I see I'll remember that when I need something from ya then Seph." Applejack spoke with a little malice in her eyes that sent a sweat drop down Sephiroth's head. "Oh yes the reason we came here in the first place. Sorry for asking this right now but we ran out of ingredients for our pie crust so we were wonderin if y'all had some for us?"

"Of course dear we have just enough to give you and it's on the house so don't worry about payment. Your man saving my little babies is payment enough." Cupcake said as she nestled her little ones back into her carrier. Carrot Cake came over to Sephiroth and patted his shoulder.

"Listen now boy, just because you're new to the family here in Ponyville, don't be thinking anypony is going to be happy with what you did. I can tell that a lot of ponies saw that." Sephiroth wondered how he could know this but he looked on past the orange colt to see a crowd of ponies standing there staring at him. "It looks like they're already here, that's not good."

"Excuse me but are you the pony who took out those thieves?" A pony with glasses asked looking at Sephiroth. Applejack got in front of him but he wasn't going to let her be hurt by the town because of him. He stepped forth standing tall and strong.

"Yes I am, so why is it that you want to know?" Sephiroth asked thinking he was going to be run out of Ponyville.

"Thank you on behalf of all Ponyville!" Sephiroth's eyes widened when he heard this. "We haven't been able to do a thing about those thugs for months and in one day the newest pony to Ponyville takes them out. Sure you may have gone a little extreme but you did it to protect the children to our beloved Cake family. Again thank you."

"Yeah you were awesome!" Another pony said stepping forth, "I saw the whole fight and was amazed at the power you had. Maybe you should be our town sheriff, you'd definitely be able to scare any pony not to be a criminal."

"I don't know if I should be that kind of…" Sephiroth was stopped as more ponies stepped forward shouting out how he was awesome, cool, and spectacular. He looked to Applejack who smiled at him sort of egging him toward the position. "Fine as long as you don't expect much from me."

"We won't be asking for much really sir. We just want to keep the peace in Ponyville and we think that you'll be able to do that." The pony with the glasses said. "I'm the mayor of Ponyville by the way, so if you have any questions you come right to me alright."

"Thank you but I doubt I'll have any questions on how to do my job, which has been forced upon me." He whispered that little last part. He looked back to Applejack who blushed at him with his smile. "I think we should go home for now, it has been a long day and I need to make sure Macintosh won't try to kill me when we ask him if it is okay for us to…date I guess is how you ponies would put it."

"Alright once we get the dough we can go home Sephiroth." Applejack wrapped him in her hooves again making him blush. That image just makes me laugh to be honest.

They got what they came for rather quickly and headed home to the farm as quickly as they could so that they might have some alone time. Unfortunately word of what happened reached the farm before they even got the pie dough. Macintosh was waiting for the two of them at the front door. "Well it seems that our newest resident is back. So what happened today?" Macintosh had anger in his voice.

"Big Mac it wasn't his fault that he had to do it but he did. Sure he killed six ponies but they were trying to take the Cake family's babies away. If Sephiroth hadn't acted they would be half way the mountains by now." Applejack said getting closer to Sephiroth again making him blush.

"Alright, but can you explain to me why y'all are so close together?" Macintosh asked staring deadly at Sephiroth. "I don't remember you two being so close to each other."

"Macintosh this wasn't my idea. But I think I'm going to try and give my heart a second chance with love. The only other thing I have loved is my mother, but she is no longer with me and I want to fill that void and I think Applejack will fill that void and make it overflow with emotion that I have lost." Sephiroth spoke words he thought would never leave his lips, but he needed to try and say them once in his life.

"What are ya saying that you like my little sister?" Macintosh asked shocked by the words coming from Sephiroth. "And what do ya mean by she can replace your mother, is she just that a replacement, an item to you?" Suddenly Macintosh was against a wall with Sephiroth's hoof against his neck. Sephiroth was standing on his hind legs as he held Macintosh above him.

"Are you suggesting that I am only using her?" Macintosh wasn't being shocked at all, but it looked that way to Applejack who looked in horror at what Sephiroth was doing. "I think you are the one calling her the item and I won't allow anyone to harm her whether it is by physical or mental harm. All who do shall be brought into despair and go to the promised land where my mother watches over everyone."

"Eyup, ya made your point. Can ya put me down now?" Sephiroth truly wasn't aware that he had been holding the stallion so high in the air. He let him go and he dropped to the floor. "Well as long as you don't do that to Applejack I think I can accept you two dating. However if you hurt my sister I'll turn you inside out got it."

"That's fine if you can." Sephiroth laughed as did Applejack because she believed that he could never hurt her. "I promise this and I rarely promise anything. I will not let anypony or anyone touch your sister without getting through me first. I will die before I see her hurt, even if that means killing myself with my own blade. If I find myself on the brink of insanity I'll take my life then to protect her."

"You would go that far?" Macintosh asked as his marefriend got to his side.

"What would you do for your marefriend Macintosh?" Sephiroth asked back getting a quick turn from the red stallion's head to his beloved as a response. "I'll do my best, but this is my first time actually trying to love someone or somepony but I will try my best."

"Do you love Applejack, Sephiroth or are you doing this for her?" Cherrilee asked him as she took Macintosh's hoof in hers. "Do you really care about her?"

"Well I can say this much. I haven't felt happiness once in my life, not even with mother. However, that all seemed to change when Applejack found me." Applejack looked at him confused and interested in what she was to him. "She gives me these strange feelings that my chest hasn't ever felt but I can't make them stop. Every time I see her hurt it feels like my madness will come back, but I've only known her for a couple days. Why is this happening to me and not someone else?"

"That's called love sunny." A light green elder pony came into the room then. "What ya got inside is what's inside. Just because you've never had it doesn't mean you'll never feel it. Oh yes I'm Granny Smith granny to Applejack. I know what's best for the family and you might be part of it from what I've heard from you. Now let me ask this, when she was out yesterday what did ya feel?"

"What did I feel?" Sephiroth thought hard as he tried to remember what he felt yesterday. "Pain. That was what I felt, I was hurting inside to see her hurt. Even though this was before some of my memories came back but even when they did seeing her up this morning brought a warm feeling in me. It is still strange and a mystery to me why she makes me feel this way but she does. That's…all I can describe it as. She just makes me happy I guess."

Granny knocked Sephiroth in the knee. He didn't really feel it but he drew his hoof back, "There ain't no guessing sunny, it's ya do, or ya don't. You don't want her to get her hopes up and then have them crushed into teeny pieces."

"I would never want that on her, she doesn't deserve…I mean I don't deserve somepony like her. With my past all I deserve is to die alone, I deserve to suffer for what I've done, but now I feel differently. I feel like I finally have a true purpose in life. Whatever that is I want Applejack at my side. I feel she is that reason and I won't let that reason die, or be harmed." Applejack was brought to tears by this but he wasn't done. Whatever was going through him at that moment he let it out and kept it with him. "She does make me happy, you are right. There is no guessing involved with this. I guess I was hesitant because I was afraid that I would hurt her. But now after hearing those words whether they are meaningful to others or not they at least helped me."

"Sephiroth!" Applejack jumped at him wrapping her arms around his neck. He allowed this as his mane blew from her clinging to him. "I don't think I've ever been happier to her somepony say something like that. I can't stop crying and it makes me feel different. I'm supposed to be the strong pony in my friends and here I am cryin over a little somethin ya said to my Granny."

"It's alright I don't mind if you cry I won't tell anyone you know. Unless of course, I want a little humor." Applejack looked at him with a puffed up face more common to Pinkie Pie, but Sephiroth just gave a light chuckle before putting his hooves around her. "I'm only joking Applejack. But you can stay that way if you want, I prefer the smile you have to that one."

Applejack stopped the puffy face and went back to smiling as she dug her head into his neck. Sephiroth didn't understand what he had just done but he felt that he did the right thing and he would never allow anything to hurt her, especially himself. "Well how about that?" Apple Bloom came in that moment to see what all the commotion was about and found her sister holding the new guy like he was hers and nopony else's. That was true and in my opinion I think Applejack is going to be a little aggressive against other mares who try to get at Sephiroth. "Never thought, my sister would get a coltfriend. Thanks Sephiroth for giving her a chance at love and stuff."

"I appreciate it but it is also my first time at this love business and I hope the two of us can learn together." Sephiroth said doing something completely out of character, but what he's seen couples from his world do when they cared for each other. He rubbed his nose on Applejack's. She blushed heavily knowing that practically her entire family was watching this display of affection never thought possible by Sephiroth, well to the readers of this anyway. "Now I believe it is late and shouldn't you all be asleep?"

"Well I wanted to know what the story about that incident in town and at least now I know you saved some kids, so you can't be all bad." Macintosh said as he and Cherrilee left the room and headed for bed.

"Alright big bro," Bloom said hugging Sephiroth's leg, "can't wait to show you my friends tomorrow. The crusaders and I want to welcome you to Ponyville and go cutie mark hunting with you."

"Heh, I have no idea what a cutie mark is but I will if there is time in my…schedule. Don't expect any miracles to happen. It is a maybe Apple Bloom so go to bed and I'll have a more real answer for you tomorrow." Sephiroth said as the little filly ran off to bed. "Looks like we're alone now, Applejack."

"I guess we are." Applejack responded as they locked eyes. Sephiroth tried to move but he found his body unresponsive as Applejack drew closer and before he knew it his lips were covered for the first time by a girl, or in this case mare. His eyes closed as for the first time he fell into what some would call ecstasy. They drew apart then as Applejack blushed a little embarrassed that she let herself do that. "Sorry."

"Don't be." Applejack looked back at him with wide eyes. "I…never thought that would happen to me in my life. I always thought I would be lonely, no one who shared my views with mother but now I think now to the last thing I heard from her as she fell from my grasp. Find your happiness, I thought she was talking about her and I did all I could to make her happy even in death. Yet now I realize that she wanted me to be happy and I think for the first time in my life I am truly happy."

Sephiroth pulled her closer into his embrace as they hugged once more. "There's something I haven't told you though, but I want to tell you now without anyone in my way. I tried to destroy my world when I was there. My mother was an alien and I wanted nothing more than to make her happy. I wanted to rule the world for her. The world would have been destroyed if not for seven heroes that stopped me. They tried to show me reason but I didn't listen all I cared about was destroying the world in my mother's name. My whole reason for existence, I had believed was to do my mother's bidding. Perhaps if you hadn't found me this world would be nothing more than a pile of ash by now. However you did find me and I have only one goal now in life. Making you happy. Even though I know what I am capable of I won't let that person in my heart tame me ever again. I just still cannot believe that was what I was but it is the truth. I just hope that learning my true past won't sway your heart."

"IT doesn't make me hate you at all. In fact I think hearing all that makes me love you even more than I already did." Applejack said giving his cheek a small kiss. He blushed again, lot of blushing today huh? "You kept your promise to me didn't you? Now you can't ever leave my side, don't ever leave my side unless you really have to."

"I promise you that with all that's in my heart now." Ah Sephiroth the romantic, pretty scary but cool at the same time I think personally. "Now about these cutie marks?"

"Let me see your flank." Sephiroth slowly placed Applejack on the floor and used his magic to show his flank to Applejack. There on his flank was a black material symbol covered in red fire. "Interesting cutie mark."

He brought up his clothing and felt a little embarrassed even though he was a stallion. "So I have this cutie mark as well. Huh, it makes me feel a little weak knowing that something on me is called cute. But I guess I have to live with this curse."

"I'm afraid to ask what that curse is." Applejack said laughing under her breath. Sephiroth just sighed as he felt he would be defeated in the realm of arguing. "We should get some sleep, we both have a lot of work to do tomorrow."

"I think you might be right I'll see you tomorrow." Sephiroth said about to head up the stairs when Applejack jumped in front of him. "Is something the matter?"

Applejack put her lips on his cheek one more time and ran up the stairs. Sephiroth put a hoof up to his cheek as his face was flushed with red warmth. He got to his room and took his clothing off. He turned his flank toward a mirror and saw his cutie mark. He knew what it looked like most, the star he sent at those with his ultimate attack. He hoped that he wouldn't need to use such a move but if he had to, to protect Applejack, he would do it. He would do anything for her as far as he was concerned. Even, if that meant killing innocents.

He went to bed thinking of what he was going to do tomorrow and he decided that he might as well humor Apple Bloom but he knew that his life had definitely changed. It was going to be a new life from here on out. He just hoped those debt collector ponies didn't come any time soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sephiroth and the Crusaders

Sephiroth woke to the sound of hooves on the wood floor. He got out of bed and before his magic could get his clothes on Applejack walked in. His face blushed as he felt he was naked despite being a stallion, he felt that he shouldn't be like this in front of her. "Could you possibly wait for one second while I get dressed?" Sephiroth asked flustered.

"It's alright Sephiroth I don't wear any clothes at all." Although Sephiroth knew that he still was technically a human at heart which he had slightly failed to tell her. "But I'll wait until you are dressed since you are so flustered by me being here."

As soon as Applejack left Sephiroth threw all his clothes on as he felt a great warmth in his cheeks. So this is being flustered, he thought to himself while he made sure he was ready for what he was about to do. He left the room and felt a small object run into his leg. He brought up his hoof to find Apple Bloom below his hoof. "You need to watch where you're going Bloom or Sephiroth is gonna squish ya." Applejack said getting angry at her little sister for running into her coltfriend. Sephiroth saw the anger in her eyes and was somewhat afraid. He did say that she was one of the only things in this world that scared him.

"It's alright Applejack besides I barely felt it." That was an understatement. The little bump was no more than a light poke to him. Luckily he can hear things well or he might not have looked down at his hoof. "Now what was it that you wanted from me yesterday?"

"I want you to meet my friends the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I'm a part of them and we scour Equestria for our chances to find our cutie marks. It's a little confusing but I told my friends that you can do some things that no other pony can and we were thinking you could try and teach us. Even if it doesn't lead to our cutie marks getting trained on how to fight with a sword would be amazing. Then we could go into Ever Free Forest and not have to worry." Apple Bloom said grabbing ahold of his leg.

"Apple Bloom get off of Sephiroth right now he doesn't have time to play around he has to watch over the town now." Applejack said just wanting her sister off of Sephiroth. She just hoped that no other mare tried to get their hooves on him because she would go off on them.

"Truthfully I don't think I have to watch over the town just be there and have my presence known. I think that would be efficient enough since I didn't need much power for those foolish thieves." Sephiroth explained walking over to his now marefriend. Yeah never thought he'd have an actual girlfriend, but guess what, he does now. "I think I can make time for these fillies if you are okay with it."

"Well I'm not against it Seph but I just didn't want you in Ponyville for that long because…" Applejack didn't want to speak of her worries because she thought he would think of her as obsessive and she didn't want to be but Sephiroth was one of a kind and no pony was like him. He was from another world for the love of Celestia. She may not know what he was but she didn't care. She was in a relationship with him and she wasn't going to let anypony get in the way of that. Cowgirl gone crazy, kind of funny really.

"Applejack nothing is going to happen to me if that's what you're worried about. You're talking to someone who survived an explosion up close. I can handle myself quite well." Sephiroth said not really getting what Applejack was afraid of.

Applejack was still worried because she knew that mares liked a really strong pony like her older brother and Sephiroth. She knew that her brother was taken but what would he be without Cherrilee. She remembered when they were just acting it to get her sister and her friends to never think about doing it again, but the more they did it the more that the two of them grew closer. Macintosh was shy but when he was with Cherrilee he was a completely different pony. He spoke up more and wasn't afraid to speak his mind.

Applejack hoped that she and Sephiroth could be that close where they got strength from each other. But right now she was just fine with being his marefriend. "Just watch them closely Sephiroth. They have a knack for getting into trouble and I don't want you associated with that trouble." Applejack didn't want the town to have anything on Sephiroth that could cause him to leave her. Sure they've only known each other for three days now, but love cast its spell rather quickly and it didn't want to wait.

"I'll watch them closely then Applejack. They won't be going anywhere, at least once all of them are together that is." Sephiroth said as he stepped past his love. "This probably won't take that long. I'll be back soon. Come on Apple Bloom."

"Ya got it big bro!" Apple Bloom ran next to the tall stallion but before he left Applejack put her lips against his cheek. Sephiroth looked at her a little confused but found the kiss to be very warm and welcoming. He smiled back to her and put his hoof against her cheek. "C'mon Sephiroth the crusaders don't have all day!"

Sephiroth felt like Apple Bloom had a leash around his neck as she continued to try and push him away from Applejack. "I'll be just fine don't worry. Besides if anyone or anypony try to hurt your sister or her friends I'll have a quick word with them." Sephiroth spoke calmly, making Applejack's heart race with passion. She just wanted to be with him but she couldn't be there all the time even if they did promise each other. "Let's get going then Bloom."

"Alright you're going to love my friends Sephiroth." Sephiroth sighed feeling like this wasn't going to be that big of a hassle. Well unlike those who know the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Sephiroth doesn't know how far those three are willing to go for their cutie marks. He has absolutely no idea what he was getting himself into. Sure he might be one of the strongest beings ever but it would take a miracle for him to survive the crusaders.

Sephiroth followed the little filly who looked a little more gleeful than he expected her to be. They walked into Ponyville and Sephiroth's eyes immediately shot to his left. There standing in the street was a pony with crimson hair, wearing a red jacket and black pants. In his right hoof he held a crimson blade that looked to be on fire. He stopped and stared in the direction but the second a pony moved across the path the figure disappeared and he stood on his hind hooves. Suddenly his head broke out into pain as memories of before his insanity came to him. He remembered once being hailed a hero by everyone and that he was a company's greatest soldiers.

Then he remembered the man that now had appeared before him as a pony. "Genesis? That's impossible. How is he here? Or was that just my imagination?" Sephiroth whispered as he thought of that poor fool.

Above Sephiroth, on top of a building, the pony stood with the crimson blade on his side and a smile across his face. "Oh Sephiroth if only I could have some fun right now, but you're lucky today. See you soon though." Genesis said staring down at his hated enemy. Genesis jumped into the air and vanished in a burst of flames.

Sephiroth looked up to see the last bit of fire that had been left behind. He knew then that he was here, the man who had tried to become a hero on his own and would do anything to do that. "It looks like he is here. Guess I'll need to be a little more aware then." Sephiroth said as he looked down to see Apple Bloom tapping her hoof. "Sorry, got lost in thought."

"Get lost in thought later we need to hurry or my friends are gonna ditch me." Apple Bloom started running straight ahead and Sephiroth had to walk a little faster to keep up. When they turned a corner Sephiroth saw two more fillies, one orange with a red-violet mane and a white one with purple and pink streaks. "Hey guys this here is Sephiroth, pretty cool huh Scootaloo?"

"Eh, he's okay but he is nowhere near as cool as Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo said poking her friend. "I bet he doesn't even have this one wing you talked about."

At that Sephiroth's one wing sprouted from his right side. Scootaloo looked in awe at the large black wing. "Told ya he had only one wing." Bloom said sticking her tongue out at Scootaloo. "He can also use magic to, go ahead and show them Seph."

Sephiroth looked at little Apple Bloom and thought he was just a show piece but it would be better to just go along with it than argue he thought. Sephiroth looked over to a tree behind the fillies and set it ablaze by just flicking his hoof. "Whoa…" The other two fillies said as they looked back at the tall stallion. He smiled at them and for some reason it made them even more excited.

"So Apple Bloom you said he would take us to Ever Free Forest right?" The white filly said to the yellow filly. "But first he should meet my sister since he already knows Pinkie Pie and Applejack. He should meet Rarity."

Sephiroth didn't know what the Ever Free Forest was but he imagined it like the forests of where he came from. Calm and relaxing, as long as there wasn't anything trying to eat you but Sephiroth could take everything on this world and still have room for seconds. "Good idea Sweetie Belle. C'mon Sephiroth we're going to introduce you to Rarity before we go to Ever Free Forest." Apple Bloom said trying to drag Sephiroth along.

Sephiroth looked away a little irritated by the fillies but he did want to meet more ponies of this world. Hopefully she would accept him and not resent him. Sephiroth walked along picking Bloom up in his hoof and put her on his back making his wing disappear. He followed the two other fillies and they led him to a large building that looked very decorated. Perhaps too decorated.

"This is where Rarity lives?" Sephiroth asked looking at the rather strange looking house.

"Yep this is where me and my big sister live." Sweetie Belle said jumping in front of Sephiroth's face. "She can be a little strange at times but she's really nice and has a great personality."

"I'll take your word for it then." Sephiroth said as he placed Apple Bloom on the ground. He walked up to the door to hear all these weird sounds coming from inside. "Should that be happening?" He asked a little confused by the sounds.

"Oh yeah my sister might be working just don't get freaked out by what she might do." Scootaloo said opening the door with the help of her friends. Sephiroth was a little hesitant to walk in when he saw clothing flying all over the place.

"Hey Seph ain't cha coming?" Bloom asked the tall stallion who was still a little hesitant but walked in because he didn't need them trying to push him in because they'd be here all damn day if that happened. "Stay right there we'll get Rarity."

Sephiroth stood there ducking his head as more clothes flew past his head. Some of them were on these strange looking manikins of ponies that might have been a little bigger than who they were meant for but isn't that what designers do? Sephiroth kept his eye on the fillies as they ran to a white mare wearing glasses. Her mane was a blue-violet and she had diamonds on her flank. Around her neck was a tape measure.

"Hey Rarity there's somepony we want you to meet can you give us ten seconds?" Sweetie said jumping in front of her sister.

"Oh I'd love to Sweetie Belle but I'm in the middle of work so can it wait?" Rarity said not even giving her sister the eye contact that she wanted. Sweetie kicked Rarity in the shin causing her to cry out slightly as the clothes all seemed to fly off in a certain direction. Sephiroth was watching and saw a manikin head right for the fillies. He shot across the distance summoning his blade into his hand and slicing it in two. Rarity looked at the stallion standing on his hind legs holding a large blade to his hoof with magic.

"You really shouldn't use that much magic, you almost hit the fillies." Sephiroth spoke darkly as he sent his sword back to the farm. He settled down on all four hooves turning to a shocked Rarity. "Is there something wrong?"

"Oh no but might I ask who you think you are destroying my property?" Rarity asked sassily completely missing the part that he said where she almost sent a manikin into the fillies.

"Apparently you didn't hear me when I said that you almost hit your sister and her friends with your own manikin. Other than that my name is Sephiroth and these fillies wanted me to meet you." Sephiroth said looking at the mare unmoved by her sassiness.

"Oh well I didn't realize that had happened, because somepony kicked me." That comment was directed at Sweetie Belle who was underneath Sephiroth. Then she looked back at the large stallion that stood in front of her. "Sorry I thought you destroyed it on purpose. My name is Rarity and it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Hey sis guess what," Sephiroth looked below to watch the three fillies come out from beneath him. HE wondered what they could possibly have to say but he quickly realized what they were going to say. "This here is Applejack's coltfriend."

"Really?" Rarity said shocked looking at the stallion. "Applejack is your marefriend? Why I never would have thought her to choose somepony so…so…strong. I thought that any stallion that would end with her would be one that was a little lacking in the strength department. Seeing as how stubborn she is and the fact that she rarely let's anypony help her with a problem. She is honest though that is a fact."

"I know what you mean. She doesn't lie to me even if I've done something horrible." Sephiroth looked away catching the attention of the crusaders who were paying attention. "She just knows how to make me smile I guess. Even when a normal mare would be scolding me."

"What is that supposed to mean Sephiroth?" Rarity asked looking at him suspiciously.

"Let's just say I have ways of making ponies pay for hurting the one I love. Sure I might have only realized this yesterday but my heart aches for her even now. Ha, I sound like Kain." Sephiroth said remembering Dissidia and all the battles he had there.

"And who might this Kain be?" Rarity asked digging into places that she really shouldn't be digging into. Sephiroth will tell you on his own terms not when you want to know.

"Nothing just an old friend is all." Sephiroth lied because he wanted to get off the subject before it became too much for his head. "Anyway I believe that our meeting is over so shall we get going to this Ever Free Forest, crusaders?" Sephiroth asked as he began walking to the door.

"Hold it right there mister." Rarity used her magic and sent Sephiroth into a wall. Not the brightest thing Rarity has done. Sephiroth shrugged off the attempt to hurt him and walked up to the mare. "Okay then, what do you mean by taking them to the Ever Free Forest."

The fillies began trying to walk out of the room as quietly as they could when Bloom tripped over some fabric landing on her face. "Apple Bloom said that you and Applejack were okay with me bringing them there. Is that not the true?" Sephiroth was looking at the crusaders who flinched at his gaze.

"No that would be THE WORST POSSIBLE THING to do. The Ever Free Forest is the most dangerous place in all of Equestria. The amount of monsters in there are enough to give Canterlot's royal guard a run for their jewels." Rarity's eyes lit up at the mentioning of jewels. "Anyway there is no way I will allow my sister to go into the forest not unless someone as strong as the royal guard is with them."

"Are you saying that I am not as strong as the royal guards of your Equestria? Because I would beg to differ upon that." Rarity had no idea that she had just insulted Sephiroth and was really testing his patience. "I can prove to you right now that I can handle any monster that comes my way."

"Really than show me what you can do mister I'm so tough." Rarity sassed rather idiotically. Okay Sephiroth may be a good guy now but in your world Rarity, he is practically a god. You don't want to piss him off. Luckily he is really hard to piss off but then again that was when he was obeying his mother, he isn't doing that anymore. So he could get pissed off much quicker than usual, especially if Applejack is involved.

Sephiroth brought forth his arm and fired a blast of light into the sky breaking through the roof. When it hit the clouds a large dragon unlike anything seen in Equestria appeared. Bahamut, the greatest summon of Sephiroth's world landed on the ground staring at his master who summoned him. His tail was just inches from wrecking a home and his claws and talons were inches from ponies all around him. His roar caused the ground to shake almost throwing Rarity off balance.

"Am I strong enough now?" HE asked slightly cold and dark as he used to be. Rarity just nodded her head and Sephiroth swiped his hand sending Bahamut back to his plain of existence. "I believe the fillies will be just fine with me in this forest. No need to worry or are you going to pull more strings into not allowing me to take them there? Don't be a puppet."

"I am no puppet Sephiroth but I will say this," Rarity said walking over to a line of clothing that was strictly meant for stallions. "You must change out of those dreadful clothes. I will take them and get them fixed up but you must take those off." Sephiroth was a little hesitant but surrendered and removed his clothes revealing his body and cutie mark to everypony. He felt a little exposed but he normally doesn't remove those clothes. "Thank you, now run along now. Give me until tomorrow and these will look as good as new."

"Don't think you can play me like some puppet though. I don't want any changes to them. They are to stay there own look. Just sew what needs to be sewn. Don't make it flashy because I'd just destroy it." Sephiroth said darkly pushing his hair behind him. "I'm going to trust that you understand what I want?"

"Please like I would do something like that. Besides Applejack seems to like you in this I imagine. Well we can't have it looking all destroyed now do we. I'll also make a few replicas so you don't have to constantly wear the same thing over and over. Or well the same exact clothing every day. Applejack would like that you know." Rarity said placing her glasses on again and getting right to work.

With that Sephiroth escorted the fillies out of the home and out to the town again. "So why is it exactly that you didn't want me to know about the forest?" Sephiroth asked looking at the fillies with a shadow over his eyes.

"Well we didn't want you saying no that's all and besides we didn't want to have to say that you weren't strong enough to do it because well there's no point now. Rarity already did it." Scootaloo was taking the full responsibility of explaining things to Sephiroth. Great, that's just great. "You see now we can go there without any worry about a sister saying no. I mean Applejack was okay with you going into Ever Free Forest with Sephiroth right Apple Bloom?"

"Oh, yeah that's right Applejack was one hundred and ten percent okay with it right Sephiroth?" Apple Bloom said looking at him with these puppy dog eyes. To him they were a little creepy and he actually took a small step back scared at what else might come from the filly. He nodded hoping to get the filly to stop but that only seemed to increase the look she had.

"Yes, yes Bloom, now please stop with that look it's bugging me." Sephiroth said walking ahead of the fillies where now every pony in the area was looking at him. He looked to his left and right and in fact they were all staring at him. Most of them were mares. I have a bad feeling about this.

A few of them walked forward causing him to take a step back but he soon found himself surrounded by the female ponies. He gulped feeling like he was going to die or something. "So you're the stallion that's the talk of the town huh? What are you doing after you're done with the fillies?" A lime green mare asked with batting eyes.

"I will be going home." Sephiroth said a little more calm now that the mares seemed to stop their advancement. "What is it to you?"

"Oh well I or we were all wondering if you would like to spend the afternoon together. You can pick any pony here you want." The mare said gesturing to everypony in the surrounding circle.

Applejack had gotten worried about Sephiroth and headed out to see if everything was okay when she spotted him in a circle of mares. She gasped feeling like Sephiroth was going to be forced into a date and she wasn't about to let that happen.

She tried rushing in but the mass of mares weren't moving an inch. "Excuse me but I have to get through." She asked nicely only to have what looked like fashionistas turn to face her. At least they weren't as bad as Rarity. "Um I have to get to my coltfriend so could you please move?"

"Oh we're terribly sorry dearie." They stepped aside and when Applejack tried to go past them they tripped her. Correction they are worse than Rarity. "You can't be serious Applejack with a coltfriend like him that's impossible."

"He is my coltfriend and I need to get to him because my sister and her friends are with him as well." Applejack tried to get past her put two other mares stood in front of Applejack's path. "Move or I'll make you move!"  
"Oh dear she's getting feisty girls, hahahahaha." Her laugh was a little toxic in that it had this stuck up like feel. "We'll have him eating out of hooves in no time. Even if what you say is true no stallion can resist a mare such as me."

"I think they'd more avoid you than run to you…AGH!" Applejack's face was slapped before she could finish her sentence.

"You really are a foul creature Applejack. How this stallion could even care about you is beyond me." Her hoof was on Applejack's neck pushing slightly down. "Anything else to say?"

"….." Applejack tried to say something but her throat couldn't produce the words. No matter how much Applejack wanted to deny what the mare was saying she knew that she was right. Applejack was a farm mare and Sephiroth was a dream stallion to a mare. She still didn't understand why he picked her over a pony like the one holding her throat down. Why did he pick her when there were so many other prettier mares out there?

"I thought so nothing to say you wretchedly ugly mare." The mare gave out another of her obnoxious laughs as she felt victorious over the orange mare she stood over.

Through the crowd Apple Bloom was looking through the legs of mares trying to find a way out for her and her friends. That's when she saw Applejack being held down by another mare's hoof. "Sephiroth!" She cried catching his attention. "Applejack's in trouble!"

"What!?" He said looking over the line of mares trying to get him to ask them on a date. He didn't see Applejack anywhere. "Where is she?"

"See that lime green mare that looks like she's standing on something?" Sephiroth saw the mare she was talking about and his anger shot up. "She's standing on top of Applejack!"

At that instant Sephiroth's black wing shot out but the crowd thought it to be him showing off as the cheering that came almost equaled that of an explosion. He flapped it once sending a large gust of wind and opened up a path with his magic. The mares looked at him in shock as his eyes were full of malice. He stood on his hind legs now holding Masamune in hand. He walked up behind the mare and placed the blade's edge against the mare's shoulder.

"What the…" The mare turned around to see the death within Sephiroth's eyes and she cringed in fear.

"I suggest you move yourself before blood has to be spilled and I'd hate to ruin your outfit." Ah old humorous Sephiroth, but no he was being serious right now as he slid the blade ever so slightly making a small cut mark against the rim of her throat. A small line of blood trickled down and she still looked in horror unable to move. Sephiroth sighed and shoved the mare away knocking her to the floor.

His wing curled around Applejack who was now looking at him with her own fear. "Sephiroth, why did you do that?" She asked as her body was picked up by his wing.

"I thought that's what I'm supposed to do when somepony is holding your throat down?" Sephiroth said running his hoof through her hair. He felt happy to see her unharmed from the mare as his blade left his hoof. "Should I have done something else?"

"That's not it. She deserved that but why me what's so special about me that you'd pick me over a mare as pretty as her. What drives you to want to kill them because of me?" Applejack asked still the crowd of mares standing behind her stallion.

"Do I need a reason to protect the mare that I love?" Yes folks he just said the 'l' word. "Applejack I told you yesterday that I would always be by your side. That means that I love you with what little heart I have. I'm the one who should be asking you that question. I'm…lucky to have a mare like you accept me even though you know about my past."

"I keep tellin' ya not to worry about that kind of stuff and you go and do it anyway." Applejack said wiping her eyes of tears. She was in a lot of pain both physical and emotional and Sephiroth could see it written all over her face. "I know that I ain't the prettiest pony out there but I'm happy to know that you love me too. So I was the one who didn't need to worry this time huh?"

"Sis," Apple Bloom got into the conversation feeling like she needed to say something, "you have to be one of the most beautiful ponies in all Equestria and you say that you ain't. What the heck is wrong with not being the prettiest pony ever. You don't need to be if the stallion you love loves you."

Listen to Apple Bloom being the voice of reason, way to go filly. "Apple Bloom why are you saying that?" Sephiroth asked looking at the young filly with confusion racking at his brain.

"Well I don't like seeing my sister cry like that because it's gonna make me cry too. That and the lesson that Macintosh and Ms. Cherrilee taught us. Once you find who ya love ya don't worry about anything but making them happy. At least I think that's what they told me." Bloom's words were ones not normally heard from one so young; moreover they are normally heard by some elder pony that's been through it all and more.

"I think she might be right Applejack." Sephiroth said his eyes looking into hers. Their gaze was unbreakable, even if somepony were to put themselves between them they wouldn't look away from each other. "All I worry about even though it slightly shocks me is you. I can't think of anything else. Your face keeps appearing in my head and I can't stand it. There are other things I could be thinking about but there all about you, except for what I'm doing. I guess this is what they call love. Like I said I'm new to the whole love thing Applejack but I won't betray you, I'm not going to treat your feelings like one would a puppet. I'll treat them like anypony would maybe better but I won't know until I try now will I?"

"No you won't you big idiot." Applejack said wrapping her front hooves around Sephiroth's neck and pulling closer. "You might be a little different but I love you with all my heart. And I just hope that you feel the same way about me."

From the crowd came a long and emphasized awe. They looked at the passion being given between the two ponies and well who wouldn't with what was said. Sephiroth put his wing around them as he felt his heart increase in strides. It felt like it was running inside of him with how much beating it was doing. He still couldn't believe that he had been grabbed by love's embrace, but he didn't loathe the feeling. He embraced what he felt for his mother's sake, now that he knew she wanted him to be happy. He thought about his mother and what he had originally tried to do on his world and felt that he needed to tell Applejack the whole truth but he felt that that might be too much at this moment and besides he still had to take the crusaders into the Ever Free Forest.

"Apple Bloom you don't mind if we stop by the farm to drop off Applejack do you?" Sephiroth asked still looking into his love's eyes.

"Sure Seph we can do that but you gotta take us to the forest after alright." Apple Bloom was really being pushy today about going to the Ever Free Forest and that was a little concerning.

"Alright then let's get going, but before I forget…" He drew forth his hoof and Masamune appeared as it lied just under the lime green mare's jugular, "Now if I ever see what you did to Applejack happen again I won't hold back on killing you is that clear?"

The mare nodded unable to speak out of pure fear of the stallion she had thought would pick her over Applejack. He drew back his blade sending it back to the farmhouse. Sephiroth carried Applejack in his wing all the way back to the house. He walked through the front door to a waiting Macintosh and Cherrilee. They saw Applejack cradled in his wing and thought she might have been seriously hurt. That and Sephiroth wasn't wearing any clothes so different thoughts were going through Macintosh's head.

"So Sephiroth what happened with Applejack?" Macintosh asked a little abrasive. "It looks like a lot happened between you two."

Applejack looked at Sephiroth as he looked at Macintosh with a blank stare. Suddenly Applejack understood what Macintosh said and blushed hard. "Big Mac what the heck are you saying stuff like that for and with the fillies in the room? We didn't do anything like that."

That's when Sephiroth finally got it and he to also blushed which again is very rare if not that then something else. "Why would you even think something like that Macintosh?" Sephiroth asked wanting to know the answer to the very personal question.

"You aren't wearing anything so sorry if I made a mistake. That's what it looks like to me." Macintosh said scratching the back of his head with his hoof. Sephiroth allowed Applejack to come off his wing on her own as he made it disappear in flames again almost incinerating the ceiling. He keeps forgetting to do that kind of thing outside. Sephiroth gave a sheepish smile as he slowly made his way out the door, but before he got one hoof out the door Applejack was on him holding his neck in her hooves.

He was a little shocked at this because he didn't expect her to be able to move that quickly yet. I agree with Sephiroth on that one, if someone has their foot or hoof in this case on your neck and you've been slapped hard enough to be thrown to the floor you aren't going to be moving that fast. Her eyes weren't looking into his as they were closed. Applejack was taking some deep breaths, either she had something she wanted to say or she was going to do something that she was a little afraid to do.

Applejack placed her lips on his cheek getting this cringing response from Sephiroth because that was the last thing he thought she was going to do. Macintosh was behind her with this slightly angry look that meant if he tried anything hell would break forth. The fillies just looked and smiled along with their teacher who remembered when she and Macintosh were like that. He used to be so embarrassed to have a very special pony, but after a couple of weeks he grew to be more comfortable around her and now they did practically everything together. This was Sephiroth's first attempt at love, his first time feeling love, his first time even considering love. And yet he was happy to be with this mare despite that he used to be human in another world, he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her for however long that was.

She pulled back looking into his shocked eyes and red face. Sephiroth truly felt happy right now and he hoped that his mother was watching him because he had found the one he had thought he would never find. He hoped this was truly what his mother wanted him to do because if not then why did this feel so right to him. She wanted him to be happy but she never specified what kind of happiness he was supposed to have. Either way he wasn't about to let go of t

these feelings he now had for the mare that stood holding one of his cheeks. Her warm touch was greater than any fire he could ever hope to conjure up.

Sephiroth felt his heart beating faster and faster the more their eyes stayed linked to each other. "Are you guys going to stay like that for long?" Granny came into the room a little later than she was supposed to but like they always say, better late than never. "Applejack needs to get working on harvesting apples and didn't you say you were going to take the fillies out for playtime Seph?"

The two of them looked around the room to see everypony staring at them. They moved away from each other blushing a little hard. Sephiroth acted like nothing had happened but on the inside he was redder than an apple. The fillies tried pushing him out the door but like it was earlier said that was never going to happen in their lifetime. Sephiroth just looked back with one eye the whole time to get the last look at his mare before he headed to this Ever Free Forest.

Applejack held a hoof to her chest as she didn't want him to leave but she needed to get some work done but that didn't mean Sephiroth wasn't going to be on her mind. That and what Macintosh said still racked her mind as the more she thought about it the redder her face got because she knew it was way too early for something like that but now it would never be off her mind. Great job Macintosh, you big lug, now you got your sister thinking about the thing you didn't want to happen.

Outside the farmhouse Sephiroth was following the fillies to where this Ever Free Forest was because he had no idea where it could be. There wasn't a sign that said, "Ever Free Forest Next Left," on the path they walked. Sephiroth was a little interested in this forest because everypony seemed to either find it interesting or terrifying. Sephiroth wanted to make his own opinion of the place once he got there.

However the more he tried to think of what the forest might be like he found his mind on Applejack again. He shook his head trying to get the image out of his mind but he just couldn't seem to get her out of his head. Can we get a cat scan of his brain or something, I think it isn't functioning right. Either that or he must really be in love to think so heavily about her and they only knew each other for what three days.

"Here we are Sephiroth the Ever Free Forest." Bloom said pointing forward to the dark and gloomy forest that had shadows on its shadows. Yeah not the best place to take a group of young fillies but then again they were with Sephiroth one of the most badass people in the whole universe with them so they should be okay. Doesn't make it right but they should be okay.

"So what exactly are we here for?" Sephiroth asked the little fillies. He wondered why but he wanted to get back to the farmhouse as quickly as he could. Applejack couldn't mean that much to him right now she just couldn't was all he could think, for the most part.

"Well we're not called the Cutie Mark Crusaders for nothing. We're here to try and obtain our cutie marks but we wanted to make sure that we were protected and Apple Bloom thought of you." Sephiroth felt like this whole thing was just a play to get him alone to do something he didn't want to. "Don't worry though you won't be doing anything you don't want to do."

That's when he figured the exact opposite was going to happen today here in this forest. The fillies ran ahead without thinking and Sephiroth had to run to get ahead of them and placed his hoof down blocking their path. The three fillies were like dominos hitting each other as they hit Sephiroth's hoof. "Where do we think we're going? I thought I was going to watch you, not have to look for you." Sephiroth was being a little cold but in all goodness these three fillies are known for causing trouble wherever they go so can you blame him. Then again he doesn't know the reputation that the crusaders have but he had an inkling about it.

"Sorry got carried away." Sweetie said looking up at the gray stallion. "We really want to get our cutie marks today so we're gonna try everything to get them."

"I don't know whether to be excited or worried." Sephiroth said looking away at the vastness of the forest. "Just stay close to me." He could feel the hunger within the forest's bark and earth. That and he could see all the yellow and green eyes staring at them from further in the forest. Only the crusaders would ever venture into the Ever Free Forest to get their cutie marks. Yeah, Sephiroth is so dead.

Sephiroth stood ahead of them his eyes going left then right as the constant threat kept becoming apparent as more and more sounds could be heard from the bushes and thick tree lines. Sephiroth was ready to spring into action at a seconds notice but he wouldn't need to do anything that major because he knew that things here weren't nearly as dangerous as they were back on his world. But that didn't mean he could take it easy, if he did that the little fillies would be put in danger. Sephiroth wondered how he could explain to Applejack if the three fillies were eaten. Then again he didn't want to see Applejack angered mainly because that was probably the one thing that would send Sephiroth running in fear. The only thing, in this world that would make him run for his life because the scariest thing to a guy even a stallion is seeing the one they love pissed off. That goes for all men and stallions everywhere. We fear our women when they get angry because we're normally the ones who get the bad end of it.

"Why exactly are you trying to obtain these cutie marks anyway?" Sephiroth asked looking back at Apple Bloom. "Are they really this important that you'd risk coming to a place like this?"

"Of course they are, everypony wants to have their cutie mark. It defines who they are inside and what they excel at." Those words made Sephiroth stop moving because the only thing his cutie mark reminded him of was death and sorrow which sent him into a slight bit of anger. "Hey Seph are you alright?"

"Yes just thinking is all." Sephiroth said looking at the yellow filly who cared for what she believed to be her future big brother. Yes Apple Bloom already thinks that Applejack and Sephiroth are getting married. Really, little girls and their fantasies. They go all out on them don't they? "We should keep moving before something attacks us because I don't feel like fighting today." Okay when does he not feel like fighting? Sephiroth is known for his fighting skills, must be that damn writer. Oh wait that's me.

Sephiroth could hear the rustling get louder as he heard something come forth. He didn't even look to see what it was as his blade appeared on his hoof and he sliced right through the middle of it. The beast was a timberwolf, literally timber. The whole thing was made out of wood. As the wooden beast lay in two halves dead unable to get back together Sephiroth watched as more appeared out of the thick trees and bushes. Sephiroth stood on his hind hooves holding Masamune with one hoof ready to fight for the safety of the fillies.

"Apple Bloom, you and your friends stay hide right now, either that or stay really close to me. This is going to get ugly." Sephiroth said a little happy because even though he didn't want to have to fight he needed something to calm his nerves and what better way than to take it out on some wolves that don't know any better. The alpha stood at the back, the largest of the group with his second in command howling out orders that no pony understood but that didn't matter to Sephiroth. He was going to end this as quickly as possible but he couldn't leave the fillies defenseless so that left him with one option really. Play defense, wait for an opening and then get back to the fillies as quickly as possible.

Just when the thoughts were coming to him he was slashing through another timberwolf with his blade as it oozed green slime and blood or well sap. Sephiroth was twisting and turning his body slashing through wolf after wolf as they just kept coming but he didn't let them get an inch closer to the fillies as they stood under him in fear of what could happen if he missed. The only thing that would happen is the wolf would die a second later, the odds of Sephiroth missing with his nine foot long blade is almost impossible.

Soon there weren't that many left and Sephiroth hadn't even broken a sweat as he pointed his blade at the alpha that walked into the middle of the dead timberwolf corpses. Suddenly the corpses began to float up and began to merge with the alpha by some form of magic. Celestia damn it, these timberwolves are such cheaters when it comes to fighting. Sephiroth nudged the fillies to get behind a tree as he got into a stance most know to run from. His wing sprouted forth as a large amount of energy was being produced from the stallion and it showed as the earth shook under him.

In the sky a star twinkled but it wasn't a happy shooting star just flying in the sky. No this star was coming right for the large timberwolf that stood in front of Sephiroth waiting for him to make a move. Sephiroth sliced forward sending waves of energy into the alpha sending it skyward where the star connected and exploded on impact. It was about the size of what humans would call a nuclear explosion only no radioactive materials in this blast. Luckily it was in the sky to so no pony was hurt but the shockwave definitely came almost sending the fillies into further depths of the forest if Sephiroth hadn't gone and held them in his hooves. He no longer held the Masamune blade in his hoof as he needed both hooves to hold the fillies down.

When the wind died Sephiroth let the fillies go and they looked at him with wide eyes of awe. Sephiroth looked away feeling like he had shown something he didn't need to. Well that was your strongest attack and you used it on a weak timberwolf. Yeah I'd be feeling the same way, but then again he really didn't have much choice what with the other wolves around and all. He couldn't leave the fillies unprotected to take care of a large wolf the size of Rarity's house.

"I believe that's enough adventuring for one day Apple Bloom or do I need to do another demonstration?" Sephiroth asked holding his blade up.

"NO! I mean you don't have to we understand that you didn't want to fight and we ended up making you fight to protect us." The three fillies looked down upset with themselves.

"Now don't go crying on me Bloom." The three fillies looked up at the stallion no longer holding the sword. "I understand as well that you may have wanted to show me off to your friends. I used to do the same with my own. When they were still alive that is. If that's all you wanted then I would've done a little more magic for you but I did not want to do that and I'm going to have to explain to Applejack now what that fissure was. You three owe me big time got it."

"We got it Sephiroth but shouldn't we be out of here now?" Scootaloo asked a little mockingly toward the stallion that, after saying that, picked her up with his mouth, by the wings, and placed her on his back. "Hey what are you doing?"

"Making sure you don't run off on me. All three of you are to just hold on while I fly us out of here." At that Sephiroth placed the other two on his back and unfurled his wing and took to the sky. The three fillies held tightly to his body hoping they didn't fall right off. Sephiroth smiled as he began to slow himself down.

Even though he was going a little slower than before they got to Ponyville faster than expected. Sephiroth touched down in the center of Ponyville watching as Apple Bloom's friends ran off smiling back at him once. He looked back to his own back seeing Apple Bloom looking like she was ready to pass out. Sephiroth gave a light chuckle as he began to walk back to the farmhouse. He wondered how Applejack was doing as he walked through Sweet Apple Acres, he truly didn't understand why he thought about her so much but he soon found that he didn't care. In fact he enjoyed the constant thought of her.

Sephiroth walked into the home with Apple Bloom sleeping on his back. The moon was shining brightly that night as he headed for the young filly's room. He wondered where Applejack could be as he used his magic to place Apple Bloom in the bed. Sephiroth walked out shutting the door quietly so as not to wake the sleeping filly. He turned around and saw Macintosh and Cherrilee staring at him with anger and slight hate.

"We need to discuss something right now Sephiroth." Macintosh said with a stern voice.

"What's wrong, did something happen to Applejack?" Sephiroth asked and then quickly looked away realizing his first worries were of Applejack.

"You could say that." Cherrilee said as she slapped Sephiroth's face. "She got worried about you when a large explosion occurred in the sky and went toward the Ever Free Forest to look for you and the fillies."

"I see and that means you can slap me Cherrilee? I will be right back with her. There's no need to worry." Sephiroth said running out of the house and spreading his wing out. He flew into the air going as fast as he could and landed in the middle of the forest leaving a crater beneath his hooves.

"Sephiroth!" Sephiroth could hear Applejack and knew she was very close by. He stood on his hind legs and brought forth his blade and slashed forward cleaving any tree in front of him in half. He looked forward and saw his mare standing there with tears in her eyes. "SEPHIROTH!" Applejack screamed running to him. Sephiroth smiled but quickly looked to his right seeing a red flame heading right for her. He sped over the grass and came in front of the attack slashing it in half with his blade.

"Well, well look what we have here." Sephiroth recognized the voice that came as he looked up to see a red stallion wearing a red jacket and holding a red saber in his right hoof. His hair was red, everything about him was red except for the black shirt he wore under the red jacket and the black pants. A black wing much different than the one Sephiroth had was extended from his back. "Good to see you, Sephiroth it's been some time. You do remember your old friend don't you?"

"Sephiroth who is this?" Applejack asked as she was terrified of the smile that the stallion flying above them gave off.

Sephiroth pushed Applejack away as he blocked the stallion's attack with his blade having to use minimal strength to hold the stallion back. He sliced forward sending the red stallion back. The red stallion flipped back in the air and landed on the ground withdrawing his wing into his body. "I've come back to get my revenge for the humiliation you caused me back on our world. Only this time things will be different."

At those words dozens of other stallions and mares came out holding katana swords. Sephiroth than heard another laugh that was more annoying than anything he has ever heard. Out of the back came forth a lime green mare, the same one before that had held Applejack down. "My, my it really is a pleasure to see Applejack lying on the floor like that. So honey what are we to do with this stallion?"

"You can take care of the orange mare but leave Sephiroth for me. I have a score to settle Sally." The red stallion put his hoof against his blade and drew it across it making the blade glow with a bright red light that resembled fire.

Sephiroth couldn't believe what he was looking at. He never thought that he would see that man again, not after he had been drawn into the life stream from his world. The stallion standing in front of him was that man from his world, the other angel of darkness, Genesis.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sephiroth Fights for Love

"Sephiroth who is that?" Applejack asked again as he stood there looking completely different from before. She wondered what he was going to do. There were at least thirty other ponies holding swords besides those two, the one holding the glowing red saber and the lime green mare who held a hoof in front of her face.

"You could say that he was an old friend turned enemy. His name is Genesis, a rather annoying pest that won't be much of a problem. But, I want you to hide or run away right now." Sephiroth said taking a couple steps forward. "I don't want you to see me when I fight this time." Folks it is about to go down!

"Well what do you know, Sephiroth fell in love with a mare here." Genesis said somewhat mockingly. "I never thought you to be one for romantics Sephiroth. I always thought of you to be the serious get the job done no matter what kind of guy."

"Then maybe you need to rethink what you know Genesis. By the way who do you work for now?" Sephiroth asked feeling like he could let loose if this bastard tried anything to hurt Applejack.

"No one or should I say no pony. I work for myself Sephiroth." Sephiroth let out a laugh that made Genesis grind his teeth. "What's so funny Sephiroth?"

"You. You haven't changed one little bit Genesis. Still the same old puppet, that you once were Genesis, always needing someone to pull you along. Who's pulling your strings now old friend?" Sephiroth was getting excited almost euphoric with the feelings he had. This sudden craving for his blood on his blade was like how he used to feel.

"The Kartharan Nation. I am a hero to those ponies and I do so enjoy their plot against Equestria." Genesis smiled as the lime green mare next to him stepped forward.

"I'm guessing you're one of Genesis's puppets or you wouldn't be here." Sephiroth wasn't in the mood for this at all. Even though he craved the battle with Genesis, he didn't want Applejack seeing him when he fights, but if it came down to that he would fight to protect her.

"I'm not his puppet, I'm his marefriend and I must say he is rather handsome unlike you." Sally said planting a small kiss on Genesis's cheek.

"Well it looks like the two of us are in the same boat then Genesis. I suggest you have her withdraw or I can't guarantee her life." Sephiroth said as his blade began to glow purple with his power.

"Sally I want you to get back, if there's one thing I'm sure about Sephiroth doesn't joke around." He said stepping in front of his marefriend. "I want three of you to go with her and make sure she gets to safety. The rest of you will attack Sephiroth without mercy."

"Oh this should be fun." Sephiroth was really looking forward to this. It's been awhile since he had a real challenge. "Applejack I'm sorry in advance."

"Why would you be sorry to her? You aren't sorry for a lot of things." Genesis said as his marefriend disappeared into the darkness of the apple trees.

"I didn't want her to see me when I really had to fight but it looks like I won't be able to hold my true power from her anymore. Now shall we begin this night of despair?" Sephiroth said taking a step forward distancing himself from Applejack.

Applejack threw a hoof out not wanting him to get too far away from her. She didn't want him to get hurt but it looked like he didn't care what happened to him as long as she wasn't harmed. "Stallions and Mares! Circle Sephiroth and then go after his precious mare!"

The thirty other ponies that were with Genesis ran forward and circled Sephiroth while others kept running past him heading for Applejack. Sephiroth looked up at the night sky and the beauty that it held for a second and then disappeared as the ponies surrounding him were shocked at his speed. Suddenly screams could be heard from within the trees as blood splatters began to appear from the darkness. Applejack couldn't believe the blood that she saw and the stallion that she loved standing in front of her with his blade draped in blood.

Sephiroth then slashed to his left taking off the head of pony causing a blood fountain spray to occur. Sephiroth kicked it away and slashed to his right cleaving another in half. The heart and vital organs lay out of the pony, still pumping blood into the lifeless corpse that was in a pool of blood. Sephiroth stepped forward and crushed the heart stopping the flow of blood.

"I always knew you were a coward Genesis but I never thought you were that afraid of me that you would stoop so low as to attack the mare that I love." Sephiroth said removing the blood from his blade. "I will make you and everypony here despair with the feeling of agony and regret. No one touches or even thinks of harming my mare!"

Applejack's eyes widened when she heard this. She couldn't believe what the stallion was saying and doing to keep her safe. "Sephiroth…" She couldn't say any more than his name. Soon she felt the blood at her hooves from the three dead ponies that had attempted to kill her.

"Applejack stay here, I'll be back in five minutes." Sephiroth said as he began to walk away from her and the other ponies that had tried to go after her now began to step back fearing this stallion that apparently was willing to do anything for a mare that he had met about three days ago.

A stallion to the left of Sephiroth cried out and ran forward holding his blade above his head as he thought that Sephiroth would be an easy kill. Sephiroth flew at the stallion and used magic making a lasso of energy that wrapped around the stallion's neck. He lifted his hoof and the stallion was raised into the air struggling to be free of the grip as he slowly began to die from lack of oxygen.

Sephiroth flicked his hoof up and the energy snapped the stallion's neck making the body fall limp in the air dead from a simple movement of the hoof. Sephiroth's eyes burned with a fire that had only been when he had been with his mother. Sephiroth darted into the center of five ponies and spun around slashing each one in half. Sephiroth stopped spinning and watched as intestines and more organs fell forth from the bodies. They still moved like the bodies were still alive but they were far from alive as their eyes wouldn't blink and their mouths hung open in death.

Sephiroth was enjoying this bloodshed as he grabbed ahold of a dead body's small intestine. "So this is what it really feels like to fight for somepony you love." He said splitting the intestine in half with his magic. Blood splattered across his face as he went back to work on the ponies that threatened Applejack. Blood was shooting in all directions and Applejack had to duck behind a tree so that the blood didn't hit her. She held her hooves over her mouth holding back the urge to hurl up what was in her stomach.

Within three minutes all the ponies besides Genesis and Applejack now lay dead. A large pool of blood that now encompassed from where Genesis stood to where Applejack stood behind the tree now spread. Applejack was afraid to look beyond her hiding place but she wanted to see if Sephiroth was okay. When her eyes came to look upon her stallion she saw a horrifying sight as her stallion crushed the head of a dead pony. Her eyes were wide with fear for the one she loved so dearly.

Blood dripped down from his silver coats like he had been cut or stabbed yet there wasn't a single cut on his body. Applejack was in complete fear of the stallion she loved because if he could do this to all these armed ponies, what could he do to ponies that couldn't defend themselves? The thought of it made Applejack fall down into the pool of blood, coating her bottom half in the red liquid. Yeah it was that deep people and ponies alike.

"Now Genesis you are next on my list of ponies to kill and I won't be holding back. Hope you enjoy what I'm about to give you." Sephiroth said as he darted for Genesis. Their blades connected causing a shockwave of energy to release from them. Genesis grinded his teeth while Sephiroth smiled in victory as Genesis was still the same in everything including power. "Like I said, you haven't changed at all." Sephiroth sliced forward sending Genesis back into a tree and followed by slicing the air sending waves of energy toward Genesis.

Genesis sliced forward with his blade protecting himself from the attack. "Still the same old Sephiroth, you too haven't changed at all." Genesis said daring forward slicing his blade onto Sephiroth's. Sephiroth still smiled but now so did Genesis. "I'm much stronger than I used to be."

Sephiroth sliced with his blade and it was parried by Genesis's enflamed blade. Genesis threw his hoof out sending fireballs at Sephiroth who just watched as they began to surround him in their fire.

"SEPHIROTH!" Applejack cried as she no longer feared his power but now wanted him tom be safe and unharmed. Genesis sent his wing forth as he then darted for Applejack. Applejack couldn't move as she was soon being held down by Genesis's hoof.

"Why aren't you the pretty one?" Genesis said having his blade glide across her neck and lower body. "I don't think Sephiroth will mind if I have a little fun with you now." Genesis said as he smiled placing his blade between her mind legs. Applejack's eyes widened as she feared the end and wished for her dark angel's protection. Genesis kicked forward sending Applejack into a tree. He didn't let her fall as she was now held by his hoof against the tree. "Give me some screams, it will make it all the more fun for me." Genesis was corrupted with the feeling of getting back at Sephiroth. Suddenly his fire prison that he had surrounded Sephiroth in had exploded but there was no Sephiroth.

Suddenly out of the sky came a black meteor that was aimed just for Genesis. Genesis dropped Applejack and jumped back and watched as the black meteor began to fall down toward the mare but suddenly changed course heading right for Genesis. Genesis began to run away from the black meteor but it began to gain ground on him as he made fireballs try and crush the attack. They just hit it and were extinguished. Suddenly it separated becoming several smaller black meteors. Genesis tried slicing through them all but they soon hit him in every direction exploding on impact. Applejack wasn't lying in blood but in the arms of her stallion who had a tear running down his face.

This feeling of dread and pain in his chest was new to him. He couldn't believe that he was feeling so much anger because Applejack had been harmed. That's when he finally realized that he had truly fallen for this mare and was now intent on keeping her safe from anything and everything. His black wing shot out as he heard Applejack groan. "Applejack? Applejack!" He cried wishing for her to come back to consciousness. Her eyes opened and she stared into his eyes. She looked to her left and saw his blade sticking out of the ground. "Thank mother that you're alright."

"Sephiroth why, why kill so many for me? I know how you feel about me but this bloodshed is too much." Applejack said holding herself in his arms. "Why did you have to kill all those ponies?"

"If I didn't they would have hurt you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that had happened. I just couldn't let them…" Sephiroth stopped and looked away from Applejack. He felt as though he was going to have to leave her now that she saw what he was really capable of. "I'm sorry. Once I deal with Genesis I'll leave right away. Besides there'll be nothing keeping me here anyways."

"That's not true!" Sephiroth looked down into the mare's eyes, "I'd follow you to the ends of the world even if it meant you'd destroy the world. We may have only known each other for a short period but you're my everything Sephiroth and I'll die before I let you leave me!"

Sephiroth couldn't believe what had just been said but at the same time he was so happy that she had said it. It was all he needed to hear to stay in this town. He never thought anyone or anypony would say they'd follow him into despair. He never thought Applejack to be a mare like that, he thought of her as a farm girl who loved him for his looks and other stuff like that. He didn't think that her love was that deep.

"Applejack, thank you." Sephiroth said holding the mare close to him, wrapping his wing around them. "I didn't think you loved me that much." Applejack's eyes widened as he pulled her away so that he could look at her, "I always thought I was just some stallion that every girl wanted and you happened to get first. I had no idea how far you had fallen for me. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be, it was my fault for not fully telling you how I felt. I should've been more open to you. I wanted you to be open with me but I wasn't really open with you. I'm the one who should be sorry Sephiroth." Applejack said as tears began to run down her face.

"Oh well isn't that sweet." Sephiroth's head shot up as he heard Genesis's voice come from the smoke cloud. The cloud was then blown away by Genesis's wing. He stood there with his blade in hand with minor scratches on his body. "Did you really think that would be enough to kill me Sephiroth? Looks like you need glasses because you're not seeing straight."

"Actually," He began as he set Applejack and grabbing his blade out of the ground, "I don't think my vision has been clearer. Genesis, listen to me right now, you will never harm Applejack for as long as I live. Her life means more to me then this whole damn planet. I could care less if it all despaired in flames. All I want is to be by her side, and if I have to kill you to do that then so be it."

Sephiroth held his blade above his head pointing it at Genesis and then ran forward. Genesis smirked and flew forward swinging his sword to the side. Sephiroth blocked the attack with minor attention as he didn't avert his gaze from the stallion's eyes. Sephiroth sliced sending Genesis into the air. He threw his wing out and took to the skies not letting Genesis recover from his attack. Sephiroth continued on the attack forcing Genesis to constantly defend.

Genesis was using most of his power to hold Sephiroth back while Sephiroth wasn't even using half of his strength. But that was about to change, dramatically. Sephiroth roared out for probably one of the few times in his life as his blade glowed with dark power. Genesis jumped back as Sephiroth began to slash several times attempting to kill him. Genesis was barely dodging the attack as Sephiroth was no longer holding back. He was more determined than he has ever been to kill Genesis. To be with Applejack, to be with the mare he loved so much, the mare that finally showed him the glimmer of light that he had been looking for.

Genesis couldn't believe the power that Sephiroth had at this moment. The last time they fought they had been a little closer, what could possibly be driving Sephiroth that made him this powerful? Then he looked over at the orange mare who was sitting down and praying, that's when he realized what was making Sephiroth so much stronger. "You really love that mare don't you Sephiroth?" Genesis asked as they stopped parrying each other's blows. "You were the worst man alive back on our world, how could one little mare change all that about you?"

"I wonder the same thing myself Genesis, but I don't care." He said letting his guard down. "All I know is that being with her, in this short time has put a strange warm feeling in my chest. I want this feeling and I only get it while I'm with her, so I won't allow anyone or anypony hurt her. I am her dark angel and she is my angel of light. I will never leave this town and I will protect it so that Applejack's life isn't a hell hole like back in Midgar."

"So what, you're planning on marrying the mare?" Genesis said smiling at him with malicious intent.

"Yes I am." Genesis's eyes widened when he heard this, Sephiroth getting married. He never thought that would happen in a million years. "Asking her to marry me will take some time but I'll get around to it eventually. As for now, it's time to say good-bye." Sephiroth slashed forward sending a wave of blue energy at Genesis. Genesis, knocked off guard dived out of the way only to be stabbed in the chest by Sephiroth's blade. Sephiroth then proceeded by throwing him into the sky and began to slice several times leaving many cuts on his body.

Genesis plummeted to the ground slamming hard into it. Sephiroth landed lightly on his feet holding his blade at his throat. "Any last words before I kill you?" Sephiroth asked taking his blade from Genesis's throat.

"Just one…catch." Genesis threw his arm out and a fireball headed right for Applejack. Sephiroth threw his arm out sending a black orb of magic right at the fireball destroying it.

"Applejack are you alrigh—GAAAAAH!" Sephiroth screamed as Genesis's blade stuck out of his chest. Blood dripped down as Sephiroth could feel the pain going throughout his whole body.

"I have to go now Sephiroth but I'll leave you with this to remember me by." Genesis took his blade out of Sephiroth and jumped into the darkness of the apple trees disappearing.

"Sephiroth?" Applejack asked as Sephiroth held a hand to his chest trying to stop the bleeding. Applejack soon saw the red liquid coming out of her stallion and screamed. "SEPHIROTH!"

"Applejack, are you alright?" Sephiroth asked as his eyes began to close from the blood he was losing.

Applejack put her hooves over the wound and tried to stop it herself but it wasn't working. "I'm fine but we have to get you help right now!" Applejack screamed feeling like she was about to lose him. She didn't want to lose the stallion that wanted to marry her. Yeah she heard that little thing Sephiroth said.

"Then you're lucky we're here right now." Applejack turned her head to see her brother and his marefriend standing behind her. "Don't just stare at us we got to get him back to the house pronto." Macintosh said picking Sephiroth up. Applejack nodded her head and put herself under Sephiroth's other front leg and began pulling him toward the house.

Applejack was going as fast as she could as it seemed the bleeding wasn't going to stop. They reached the house in record time. They got him to a room as quickly as they could and put him on it so that both exit and entry holes were showing. Applejack knew that they needed to close the wounds with something but all she really had were things that would just absorb the blood making it worse. Then she remembered that one long sleeved shirt that Rarity had made and knew that was her only hope for anything. She ran up to her room and grabbed it with her mouth and began to tear it apart until it was like bandages. She rushed down with the ripped up shirt and began to do her best at putting it around Sephiroth's wounds. Luckily the amount of fabric was enough to go around the stallion only it could only cover one exit hole. Applejack couldn't believe that nothing was working. She needed actual bandages but she couldn't remember if they had any in her panic.

Applejack began to tear the house apart looking for the bandages that they had in case of emergencies but she just couldn't seem to find them. "Applejack you can stop looking for the bandages!" Macintosh cried as Applejack looked back to see her brother already working the bandages around the fallen stallion. It covered his whole back and stomach regions. At that point the blood wasn't coming out as hard as it was before. They had wrapped him up in time. Applejack ran over to Sephiroth and held his face as though it was already dead. Tears rolled down her eyes as blood dripped from her hooves.

"Applejack, could you explain something to us now?" Applejack looked over to Cherrilee wondering what she could possibly want to know. "Why exactly were there a ton of corpses on the ground when we came to help you?"

"Oh that…it was Sephiroth." Applejack said looking at her stallion with eyes of both sadness and happiness.

"Sephiroth killed all those ponies? By himself?" Macintosh said getting very angry at this point. "You're telling me the stallion that is my sister's supposed coltfriend killed that many ponies on his own?"

"He did it to protect me!" Applejack shouted startling Macintosh. "I'd be dead right now if he didn't kill them all. Except some did get away but the last one was the one who hurt Sephiroth." Tears again started coming down her face. "I was horrified when I saw him kill all those ponies but then I saw his eyes and realized that he never wanted me to see him like that. He already believed that I would hate him, but instead I began to fall for him even more. He didn't want to fight those ponies Big Mac but he did so that I could live. Would you rather I be dead instead of alive?"

"No, why would you even think that?" Macintosh asked feeling hurt. "Listen I'm just worried for your safety that's all and having somepony that can kill that many on his own dating my sister makes me uneasy. I just don't want you to get hurt that's all."

"Macintosh I'm going to tell you what I told Sephiroth when he said he would leave the town after he finished protecting me." Applejack planted a small kiss on Sephiroth's cheek before setting it on the pillow and looking at her brother. "There's nothing in this world that will keep me from being with Sephiroth. I love him Macintosh. I don't care if he goes on a killing spree, I would still love him." Macintosh's eyes were wide and shocked when he heard this, "I'll follow him to the ends of Equestria and beyond if it means living with him. And don't say that's crazy because you know that you'd do it to if it was Cherrilee!"

Macintosh looked at Cherrilee knowing that his sister was right, even though he wished she wasn't. "I gotcha Applejack." Macintosh said looking at Sephiroth, "Just promise me one thing though Applejack. Keep him under control or I'll take care of him myself alright?"

"Macintosh, I won't let you lay a hoof on my stallion no matter what it is he's done! I don't want him to fight as much as you don't want him to fight but if it makes him happy then I won't stop him." Applejack put her forehead against Sephiroth's hoping that he would wake soon.

"I know that Applejack, which is why I'm telling you this. I don't want to hurt you but if it means protecting you I'll do it. You're safety means more to me than your love for that killer." Macintosh said looking serious.

"Now Macintosh don't go saying things like that to your sister." Everypony looked to the door and saw Granny Smith standing with Apple Bloom.

"Granny how much did you hear?" Applejack asked feeling slightly embarrassed.

"I've been here the whole time and so has Apple Bloom." Apple Bloom ran in and jumped up and hugged Sephiroth as tears ran down her eyes. Applejack thought that the sight was slightly touching because she wasn't the only one hurt by Sephiroth's injuries. "Macintosh wasn't it you who once said that you'd do anything for Cherrilee if she asked you?"

"Well yes but I didn't mean…" Macintosh looked at the ground and couldn't believe that his own granny thought he would do that. However, when he thought about it he realized that he would do exactly the same thing that Sephiroth did if it meant protecting the mare he loved. He looked at Cherrilee and wrapped his hooves around her. Cherrilee was taken a bit off guard by this but quickly did the same smiling as Macintosh was still hurting that he almost said something that would probably hurt her.

"Cherrilee, Granny's right." Cherrilee pushed off looking into his eyes. "I'd do the same thing that Sephiroth did for Applejack if it meant protecting you. I'm sorry I almost said something that I didn't mean."

"Mac it's okay, what matters to me is that you'd always be by my side." Cherrilee planted her lips on Macintosh's saying everything else that she wanted to say. Macintosh held her closer as their kiss got deeper and more passionate.

Applejack was happy that her brother was now possibly on the same page as she was now. Suddenly Sephiroth moaned and she turned to get over to him. His eyes were slow to open but the first thing he saw was Applejack's worried face. "Applejack?" Sephiroth whispered feeling drained of all his power, which was really just an enormous amount of blood loss.

"Sephiroth thank Celestia you're alright!" She screamed rubbing her cheek against his. Sephiroth smiled and proceeded to do the same. "I thought you were a goner. But I'm happy that my heart was telling me otherwise or else I don't know what I would have done."

"Are you okay sonny?" Granny asked getting Sephiroth's attention.

"Besides the hole on my chest I'm fine, trust me when I say I've had much worse. I'm just happy that Applejack's alright. I think I'd go insane if she wasn't." Sephiroth said looking at the aged mare.

"Well it's good to hear that somepony really cares for my granddaughter. You'll have your hands full with her though if you want to be with her you know that right?" Granny asked looking at him with suspicion and one eye.

"I had already made my decision when I met her that I would be her angel. Even if it was an angel that brought nothing but death, I will never leave Applejack's side." Sephiroth said standing on his hooves.

"Then why don't you two get married?" Apple Bloom said getting everypony too look at her. "Sure you've only known each other for a few days but with the amount of love you two have for each other than you should definitely do it."

"Well that sounds like a great idea Apple Bloom." Granny Smith said patting Apple Bloom on the head. "So sonny what would you say to being Applejack's husband?"

Sephiroth's eyes widened while his heart pounded like crazy. "Granny you can't expect him to say yes to something like that when he's new to the whole love thing and—"

"I'll do it."

Everypony looked to Sephiroth who was looking more serious than he's ever been. "Sephiroth are you serious right now?" Macintosh asked with his marefriend smiling at him.

"I am. Whether you approve or not I want to be with Applejack and no other mare. If marrying her isn't enough to prove that then I'll just do whatever is need to prove that I want her and no other mare." Sephiroth looked at Applejack who looked like she was about to fall over. "I love Applejack and there's nothing more that I want except to be by her side and remain there for the rest of my days."

"Well, alright then sonny but we need to hear what Applejack has to say about this." Granny said looking over to her granddaughter who was still in shock by what Sephiroth had just said. "Applejack are you okay with marrying Sephiroth this soon or should we wait a little while?"

"Sephiroth do you mean it?" Applejack asked looking at her stallion with hope in her eyes. "Are you absolutely serious about this?"

"If my words can't convince you than perhaps my actions can." Sephiroth grabbed Applejack and planted his lips against hers, hard. Applejack was taken slightly off guard as her eyes were shocked by Sephiroth's move. He was putting a lot of passion into that kiss as he was turning his tongue dancing in her mouth trying his hardest to tell her how much he wanted this.

Applejack soon found herself lost in his lips as her tongue began to dance along with his. Macintosh wanted nothing more than to knock it to him right now but he saw how happy Applejack looked and couldn't bear to see her angry with her. Applejack couldn't be any happier right now. Even though they only knew each other for a few days they were kissing this passionately and for the reason that he wanted to marry her. Applejack felt like she was dreaming right now and prayed that she wasn't.

Sephiroth couldn't believe what he was doing, he had never used his tongue in such a way before this and it actually felt good to move it along hers. It was this sort of surreal feeling that he felt. He wanted more of her so much more of her that he was willing to go all the way with her at this very moment. Even if it meant doing _THAT _in front of Macintosh. Yes folks _THAT_!

(Author's Note: While writing this I was hit by many jitters and cold spine feelings so don't worry all you out there who feel the same as I did. You are not alone.)

They broke the kiss as a small line of drool still connected them. Everypony looked at them and thought, Celestia DAMN! When the drool fell Applejack blinked snapping out of her fantasies and into reality. "I love you Applejack I cannot stress my feelings enough because I don't know any other way to do it. I want to be with you and nothing more. You are the only thing that keeps me from going back to who I used to be. Before I met you. I know this is rather sudden and I don't expect you to say yes but I'm ready when you are." His voice was clean and direct. He was being very serious at this point, there was no essence of humor in his tone or body language.

"Sephiroth I do…I mean I will…I mean I—OH you know what I mean. Of course I'll marry you! I want to be with you just as much as you do maybe more. Just promise me one thing alright." Applejack said wrapping her hooves around his neck.

"It doesn't matter what you ask I'll do it for you, just as I'd do anything for you." Sephiroth said rubbing his nose against hers.

"Promise that you won't fight unless you really have to. I love you too much to lose you, and I'm afraid that if you go on fighting like you have you'll get yourself killed. I wouldn't be able to bear losing you." Applejack said as tears began to come down her cheeks.

"I'm not one to make promises but if it's for you and our happiness I will do all I can to heed to your wish. I never thought I would need another life to keep my life going but you've proven that to be wrong. Only instead of being angry I'm overjoyed that I'm wrong because I'm able to feel this way, a way that I thought impossible for me. I'll do everything in my power to make you happy Applejack I promise you this." Sephiroth spoke with a great bravado that hailed of a prince's tongue, yet came from the stallion that had just murdered about thirty ponies without even trying.

"Oh Seph…" Applejack just cried into his neck as the tears turned from that of sad to that of joy. Sephiroth put his right hoof around her and pulled her close embracing her. He didn't care that Applejack's family was watching this, in fact he was glad. He didn't want to hide how he felt about her anymore and didn't care what Macintosh had to say about it. He was never going to leave her for anything. Nothing could take him from her, he was hers and she was his from then until the day they died.

Now all that's left is to get married and tell all of Applejack's friends. Yeah I doubt that's going to go over well with them but, eh, who knows what will happen. No one saw this coming, at least not this soon. But anything's possible in the world if you fight for it and these two although there hasn't been much fighting for each other, they'll soon learn that being together can bring more hardships than that when they are apart. But for now they just hold each other as the others leave them to their privacy, Macintosh hoping this will be over soon. Besides his wedding is coming up sooner than most anticipated.

"Cherrilee I need to ask you something." Macintosh ran into his room ahead of his marefriend and grabbed something from under the bed. "I know this is sudden, and I'm practically taking what Sephiroth said and using it now but…" He came out from under the bed a ring in his mouth. He knelt in front of her hoping that she would say what he wanted. "Will you be my mare and no pony else's. Just mine now and forever. Will you be my wife?"

Cherrilee was taken off guard by this. She knew he would eventually come around but she didn't think it would be so quick that she would be forced to make her decision now. However there really wasn't anything to think about because Cherrilee already had her answer ready for this. "Yes Macintosh I would be honored to marry you. Only this time let's make sure it's not in a pit."

"Thank you Cherrilee. And I'm sure that our third party won't object to it." Macintosh said poking at her belly. Yes folks, Cherrilee is pregnant with Macintosh's child. Sorry this came up so late wanted to add a little bit of the imagination nor did I want Sephiroth or anypony to know about this until now. She's only two months pregnant but the only thing that's shown is a little bit of fat on her belly.

"No I don't think he'll mind at all Macintosh but I think it's time we told everypony our situation so they can be ready for it when it's time." Cherrilee said placing a small kiss on his cheek. "It's time for bed though so shall we?"

Macintosh ran full steam ahead to the bed and fell right to sleep waiting for tomorrow when they would plan the wedding day. Just as Applejack and Sephiroth would soon be doing. Well doesn't every engaged couple be it pony or human have to set a date for the wedding? I think so.

Back in Sephiroth's room the two lovers still held each other. They couldn't let go, both were afraid if they did that the other would disappear. Sephiroth was truly afraid of losing Applejack that the emotional pain his body was enduring was greater than that of a teenage female human. No offense to girls, had to say this. They looked into each other's eyes now and felt the warmth in their hearts continue to rise as they knew this was the beginning of their future.

"Applejack I may not say this enough but I love you with all my heart. Nothing could drive me away from you, not even Genesis." Sephiroth was just saying what he felt in his heart right now and he enjoyed it. "I never thought anyone or anypony could love somepony like me. After everything I've done I'm surprised you did say yes."

"I was surprised when you said you wanted to marry me. I understand why you feel that way and I'm going to do everything to prove to you that you are worth loving. No matter what happens I'll always love you and there will always be a place for you in my heart. Nothing could ever change that. Not even the greatest evil in either of our worlds." Applejack sort of didn't realize that the greatest evil on Sephiroth's world was him. But Sephiroth still smiled even though he wanted to sulk at her remark.

"I think it's time we get to bed. Are you going to head back to your room or would you mind…" Sephiroth turned away blushing heavily. He couldn't believe what he was thinking and he doubted that Applejack would approve of this. But he had to ask.

"If it's just sleeping together then I'm okay with it. Let's give it some time before we decide to do that. I want us both to be ready." Applejack said blushing and smiling. She felt like a teenage school girl with her high school crush. But she didn't want to go that far yet not until she was ready for that commitment. Not until they were married.

"That's what I meant Applejack but I understand what you're saying and I'll wait just as long as I have to. I may not be experienced in such things but I'll do my best when the time comes. Let's go to bed now." Sephiroth said holding Applejack's hoof with his and guiding her to the bed. They both got in and snuggled against one another and fell right to sleep in each other's arms. That night was the beginning of Sephiroth's new life. His new life as a husband and a family stallion.


End file.
